LONDON: Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the League Cup final against Newcastle with an ankle injury that leaves the defender facing an extended spell on the sidelines.
Alexander-Arnold was injured in the second half of Liverpool’s Champions League last 16 penalty shoot-out defeat against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old’s absence is a huge blow to Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who is without a recognized right-back for Sunday’s showdown with Newcastle at Wembley.
Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez, the usual candidates to replace Alexander-Arnold, are both still recovering from injuries.
“Trent is not available. He will not be there at the final,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
“He is still to be assessed for how long it will take but we do expect him back before the end of the season.”
Alexander-Arnold was left out of the England squad named by Thomas Tuchel on Friday ahead of their World Cup qualifiers later in March.
League Cup holders Liverpool are aiming to win the first trophy of Slot’s reign when they face Newcastle this weekend.
The Reds are also on course for a record-equalling 20th English title after opening up a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold to miss League Cup final in injury blow
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Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold to miss League Cup final in injury blow
- Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the League Cup final against Newcastle with an ankle injury that leaves the defender facing an extended spell on the sidelines
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s son could lift a trophy for AC Milan at Super Cup
- The younger Ibrahimovic could make his debut in one of the Rossoneri’s two matches in Saudi Arabia
- “They have good skills,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said
MILAN: An Ibrahimovic could be lifting a trophy for AC Milan on Monday.
The talismanic Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t come out of retirement but his 19-year-old son, Maximilian, has been called up by Milan for the Italian Super Cup.
Maximilian Ibrahimovic is one of six players from Milan’s reserve team who traveled to Saudi Arabia with the senior squad amid an ever lengthening injury list for the club.
His father scored 93 goals in 163 appearances over two spells at Milan, winning two Serie A titles and the Italian Super Cup.
The younger Ibrahimovic could make his debut in one of the Rossoneri’s two matches in Saudi Arabia.
“They have good skills,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Wednesday. “I wanted to reward them for what they are doing in training.”
Milan, the Italian Cup runner-up, face Serie A champion Napoli on Thursday. Italian Cup winner Bologna play Serie A runner-up Inter Milan the following day, with the final on Monday.
Out of the four teams, only Inter won at the weekend, beating Genoa to go top of Serie A after Milan and Napoli both dropped points.
Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo — the third promoted team they have failed to beat this season, after a shock defeat at home to Cremonese on the opening day and a draw against Pisa.
“We should be angry but not demoralized,” Allegri said.
Milan managed to end the round in second place, a point below Inter and a one above Napoli, which lost at Udinese. Bologna lost at home to Juventus.
Despite their struggles against the promoted clubs, Milan have managed to beat the other teams in the top four this season, including Napoli.
“Tomorrow is a different match, it’s a knockout game where the aim is to get to the final,” Allegri said. “Napoli are a very strong team and they will be angry after the loss to Udinese.
“When there are difficult moments, (Napoli coach) Antonio Conte always manages to get the best out of his teams.”
Milan won the Italian Super Cup for the eighth time last season, beating Inter in the final to end a run of three straight titles for the Nerazzurri.
Napoli have won the competition twice — in 1990 and 2014. Bologna, which ended a 51-year wait for a major trophy with the Italian Cup, have never lifted the Super Cup.
