EFL Cup LIVE: Liverpool v Tottenham team news, Arsenal, Leeds and Newcastle in action ~ arsenal

LIVERPOOL face Tottenham in the EFL Cup tonight as Arsenal host Reading and Newcastle line up against Preston. Follow all the action LIVE with Express Sport…

EFL CUP LIVE SCORES

• Arsenal v Reading PREVIEW

• Bristol City v Hull

• Leeds v Norwich

• Liverpool v Tottenham

• Newcastle v Preston

25.10.2016

19:24

Jamie Anderson

25.10.2016
19:23

Jamie Anderson

JURGEN KLOPP

This was a wonderful tournament for us last year and we want to go far again.

We have players who are ill, injured, so it wasn't the plan to make 11 changes but it is a nice mix, I am excited about this team.

Asked about youngsters Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ovie Ejaria, Klopp added...

I would be nervous to play at Anfield at their age but if they can't perform tonight it's my responsibility, not theirs.

I hope they enjoy themselves.

I believe they call that the tough love, or harte liebe for our German followers.
19:18

Jamie Anderson

Lucas has been named as Liverpool's captain this evening, while Eric Dier will wear the armband for Tottenham.
19:14

Jamie Anderson

Some mixed feelings about tonight's alternative starting XI's…

Anyone watching Sky Sports right now? Graeme Souness is in the studio and they've decided to show highlights of his numerous reckless challenges.

Awkward...
19:11

Jamie Anderson

I managed to end my six-month betting dry spell over the weekend, so I'm feeling lucky punk...
19:09

Jamie Anderson

BRISTOL CITY v HULL

Bristol City XI: O'Donnell, Little, Bryan, Flint, O'Dowda, Golbourne, Reid, Engvall, Moore, Wilbraham, Pack.

Subs: Lucic, Magnusson, O'Neil, Brownhill, Tomlin, McCoulsky, Abraham.

Hull XI: Jakupovic, Maguire, Davies, Hernandez, Livermore, Diomande, Dawson, Henriksen, Mason, Elmohamady, Tymon.

Subs: Kuciak, Meyler, Huddlestone, Clucas, Maloney, Weir, Bowen.
19:04

Jamie Anderson

LEEDS v NORWICH

Leeds XI: Ruddy; Godfrey, Bennett, Bassong, Brady; Tettey, Thompson; Jo. Murphy, Naismith, Pritchard; Oliveira.

Subs: Green, Taylor, Ayling, O'Kane, Sacko, Phillips, Wood.

Norwich XI: Ruddy; Godfrey, Bennett, Bassong, Brady; Tettey, Thompson; Jo. Murphy, Naismith, Pritchard; Oliveira.

Subs: Jones, Dorrans, Canos, Lafferty, Turner, Morris, Ramsay.
18:59

Jamie Anderson

NEWCASTLE v PRESTON

Newcastle XI: Sels; Yedlin, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett; Hayden, Colback, Ritchie, Atsu; Diame, Mitrovic.

Subs: Darlow, Clark, Anita, Shelvey, Gouffran, Perez, Gayle.

Preston XI: Lindegaard, Wright, Huntington, Davies, Humphrey, Grimshaw, Pringle, Browne, Spurr, Doyle, Makienok.

Subs: Maxwell, Clarke, Gallagher, Johnson, Robinson, Hugill and Beckford.
18:52

Jamie Anderson

ARSENAL TEAM NEWS

Arsene Wenger has actually made nine changes for tonight's clash with Reading.

Alex Iwobi and Mohamed Elneny keep their places from the weekend draw with Middlesbrough.

Olivier Giroud is on the bench, while there's no sign of either Petr Cech or David Opsina as Emiliano Martinez gets the nod.

Oh, and Carl Jenkinson makes his first Arsenal start in 400 years…
18:48

Jamie Anderson

ARSENAL XI TO FACE READING

Arsenal XI: Martinez, Jenko, Gabriel, Holding, Gibbs, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Ox, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Lucas.

Subs: Macey, Bola, Bielik, Sheaf, Zelalem, Willock, Giroud.
18:43

Jamie Anderson

That must be Alex Iwobi retaining his place, right?
18:42

Jamie Anderson

TOTTENHAM TEAM NEWS

Right…

Not the strongest line-up Mauricio Pochettino will ever name but there's certainly some talent on display.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, who I've just Googled and seen he's in the top 35 hottest prospects in English football, plays alongside Kevin Wimmer at centre-back.

Eric Dier, Michel Vorm, Ben Davies, Vincent Janssen and Kieran Trippier will offer some much-needed experience in a relatively young side.

First-team trio Victor Wanyama, Erik lamela and and Jan Vertonghen are on the bench.
18:37

Jamie Anderson

TOTTENHAM XI TO FACE LIVERPOOL

Tottenham XI: Vorm, Trippier, Carter-Vickers, Wimmer, Davies; Dier (c), Winks; Onomah, Carroll, Nkoudou; Janssen.

Subs: Lopez, Walkes, Vertonghen, Amos, Lamela, Wanyama, Harrison.
18:36

Jamie Anderson

LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS

Jurgen Klopp has named a fairly strong starting XI for tonight's clash against Tottenham.

Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum are all included, alongside Serbian talent Marko Grujic.

There's a rather experienced look about Liverpool's centre-back duo.

Lucas Leiva (29) and Ragnar Klavan (30) have approximately 750 senior appearances between them - though they aren't exactly blessed with pace.

But don't worry, Alberto Moreno will be there to provide cover...
18:30

Jamie Anderson

LIVERPOOL XI TO FACE TOTTENHAM

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Klavan, Moreno, Stewart, Wijnaldum, Grujic, Ejaria, Origi, Sturridge.

Subs: Karius, Clyne, Lovren, Can, Lallana, Mane, Ings.
18:29

Jamie Anderson

But don't worry Manchester United fans - this fella has recently returned to first-team training...
18:27

Jamie Anderson

MANCHESTER UNITED BLOW

Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is expecting to be sidelined for up to two months with a knee injury.

Sunday's 4-0 humiliation at Chelsea was compounded by the impressive 22-year-old being forced off after 52 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

He will miss up to 13 matches, including tomorrow's EFL Cup tie against Manchester City.
18:25

Jamie Anderson

Don't worry folks, there's plenty of half-and-half scarves around Anfield tonight.

"Remember when we watched two sides play their second-strings in the EFL Cup last 16, son? I'm glad we have this scarf to remember it by..."

... Is the sentence nobody will ever, ever say.
18:18

Jamie Anderson

All the starting XI's will be announced in the next 30 minutes but one man who WILL be starting tonight is Liverpool No.2 Simon Mignolet.

Mignolet has had three inconsistent seasons at Anfield and has lost his place to new signing Loris Karius.

At the time Jurgen Klopp said he had no definite number one but, with Karius having now played five games in succession, his thoughts have changed.

Mignolet, however, remains a key figure in the squad and Klopp is keen to have him involved against Tottenham tonight.

Klopp said: "If nothing happens in training then he will play, 100 per cent.

"But in this moment we have a number one and that's Loris Karius.

"That's the situation and what the goalkeepers know. I cannot leave them in doubt."
18:13

Jamie Anderson

Some very tasty fixtures to look forward to over the next couple of evenings...
18:06

Jamie Anderson

I initially thought the EFL Cup sounded like an American insurance company's employee of the month award.

But I'll admit that it's grown on me.

Ok, It's not got the charm of the Milk Cup, or even the Littlewoods Challenge Cup but it bizarrely feels worth winning now there's no sponsor.

The Football League were in talks with Swinton Insurance about becoming this season's sponsor until the company had a late change of mind about the investment.

I think that was good news for everyone...
17:54

Jamie Anderson

GOOD EVENING,

Isn't this an unexpected treat on a cold Tuesday night?

Two of the most entertaining Premier League sides going head-to-head at Anfield for a spot in the quarter finals of the EFL Cup.

But it doesn't stop with Liverpool v Tottenham.

Arsenal are in action against Championship opposition Reading, Leeds entertain Norwich, Newcastle welcome Preston to St James' Park and Hull travel to play Bristol City.

We'll be covering everything over the next four hours, and I may even stick around for a penalty shootout or two…

Let's get going!