Alex MacQuoid
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Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday 15 September 2026 in the English Football League Cup, and the team news is doing plenty of the talking before a ball is kicked. With four absentees at Anfield and seven names missing from Spurs’ squad, the predicted lineups for both sides are shaped as much by who cannot play as by who has been in form. What follows is our projected XI for each club, built from recent starts rather than any official confirmation, along with the full team news picture.
Liverpool Predicted XI
Andoni Iraola’s side is projected in a 4-2-3-1, which lines up with the coach’s own preferred formation. The XI here looks largely settled, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match, a sign that Iraola has settled on a core group even with a Cup tie on the calendar. Alisson Becker has started every one of the six matches used for this projection and did so again last time out, making him about as close to a certainty as this exercise allows. At the other end of the sheet, Bradley Barcola has only two starts in the sample, so his inclusion is the least secure of the eleven picked.
Liverpool predicted XI: Alisson Becker; Virgil van Dijk, Jérémy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez, Ronald Araujo; Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Víctor Muñoz, Alexis Mac Allister, Bradley Barcola; Alexander Isak
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 6 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Alisson Becker | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 4 | Virgil van Dijk | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 5 | Jérémy Jacquet | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 6 | Milos Kerkez | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 33 | Ronald Araujo | 3/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 7 | Florian Wirtz | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 8 | Dominik Szoboszlai | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 23 | Víctor Muñoz | 3/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 10 | Alexis Mac Allister | 3/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 29 | Bradley Barcola | 2/6 | 2/3 |
| F | 9 | Alexander Isak | 6/6 | 3/3 |
Tottenham Hotspur Predicted XI
Roberto De Zerbi also favours a 4-2-3-1, and that is the shape projected for Spurs on this occasion, matching his own preferred setup. Tottenham’s expected XI is likewise largely settled, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match despite the club’s lengthy absentee list. Antonin Kinsky has started five of the six matches used here and was in goal last time out, underlining his current status as first choice. Conor Gallagher, by contrast, has only two starts in the sample and did not feature in the most recent game, making him the shakiest inclusion in this projected line-up.
Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI: Antonin Kinsky; Jan Paul van Hecke, Archie Gray, Micky van de Ven, Andrew Robertson; Rodrigo Bentancur, Mateus Fernandes, Mathys Tel, Sávio Moreira de Oliveira, Conor Gallagher; Omar Marmoush
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 6 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 31 | Antonin Kinsky | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 6 | Jan Paul van Hecke | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 14 | Archie Gray | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 37 | Micky van de Ven | 3/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 3 | Andrew Robertson | 3/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 30 | Rodrigo Bentancur | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 18 | Mateus Fernandes | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 11 | Mathys Tel | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 17 | Sávio Moreira de Oliveira | 2/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 8 | Conor Gallagher | 2/6 | 1/3 |
| F | 22 | Omar Marmoush | 3/6 | 3/3 |
Team News: Who Is Out
Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitiké, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are out injured, a list that thins Liverpool’s options across both the forward line and full-back positions. With two forwards missing, Cody Gakpo looks the most obvious replacement if changes are needed up front, while Jeremie Frimpong offers cover in defence given the gaps left by Leoni and Bradley.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federico Chiesa | F | injured | Back Injury |
| Hugo Ekitiké | F | injured | Achilles tendon problems |
| Giovanni Leoni | D | injured | Knee injury |
| Conor Bradley | D | injured | Knee injury |
Sandro Tonali, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Pedro Porro and Mykhailo Mudryk are out injured, while Richarlison is unavailable through suspension, leaving Tottenham light in midfield and attack in particular. Dominic Solanke stands out as the readiest forward option from the bench, and Destiny Udogie is the natural cover at right-back with Porro sidelined.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richarlison | F | suspended | Transfer negotiations |
| Sandro Tonali | M | injured | Wound |
| Xavi Simons | M | injured | Knee injury |
| Wilson Odobert | F | injured | Knee injury |
| Dejan Kulusevski | M | injured | Knee injury |
| Pedro Porro | D | injured | Muscle Injury |
| Mykhailo Mudryk | F | injured | Ankle injury |
How We Predict These XIs
Each projected lineup is built from that club’s last six matches, with more recent games weighted more heavily than older ones so current form and rotation patterns count for more than results from weeks ago. Players who are confirmed injured or suspended are removed from selection entirely before the XI is assembled. This is a projection, not the official team sheet, and it can and will change once the actual lineups are announced closer to kick-off.
FAQ
What formation are Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur expected to play?
Both sides are projected in a 4-2-3-1, matching the preferred setups of Andoni Iraola and Roberto De Zerbi respectively.
Who is predicted to start in goal for Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur?
Alisson Becker is projected in goal for Liverpool, having started all six matches used in this projection, while Antonin Kinsky is expected between the posts for Tottenham Hotspur after five starts in six.
Who is unavailable for Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur?
Liverpool are without Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitiké, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley through injury, while Tottenham Hotspur are missing Sandro Tonali, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Pedro Porro and Mykhailo Mudryk through injury plus Richarlison through suspension.
When do Liverpool play Tottenham Hotspur?
The English Football League Cup tie kicks off on Tuesday 15 September 2026.