Matchday Live: Liverpool vs Leicester City | Carabao Cup third round build-up from Anfield

Liverpool begin their Quests for a record extending 10th League Cup it's a competition that Jurgen klopp has said tonight has brought him plenty of happy memories can it bring him glory in this competition for the second time in three seasons it is a third meeting in Seven Seasons between Liverpool and now Leicester city of the championship in the league cup and it gets underwe downfield at 7:45 very good evening welcome along to Match Day Live where Storm Agnus has certainly joined us that's great news isn't it the better news is that the first ever man to lift the league cup with Liverpool Phil Thompson and Emil hesky a League Cup winner with both liverpol and Leicester are alongside me and safely under their broes this evening a question for both of you then how has the League Cup changed in importance from the time when you lifted it as a player Tomo to now I think it was always it was always the sort of fourth in line and that wasn't a problem but it was always still it was still an important cup to win and we went a long time without winning it which was very unusual so it was on our list and like once we won it in 881 we went on to win it four times in a row so it took on great importance more so for these Lads when I was in charge with Jed uler is we felt if we could crack it with the league cup that it would bring great success and it gives you I guess that belief as a dressing room that you can go on and win trophies in that season 20201 you get the League Cup and think well everything else is possible and so it proves and confidence it builds confidence you know when you're going into that game and going into the tournament uh and you're and you and you get to the final and you win it it lifts your confidence to go and and and go to another one so we went on to the obviously the FA Cup and obviously the UF cup as well taking me back then to 1981 and lifting it as a captain for the first time to to do it first time as well always adds something special to an achievement doesn't it well it did as just the FAA cup go further back 1965 it was still one of still one of my greatest ever memory as a fan as a player winning the FA Cup was wonderful so the league cup one once that started yes it was always the there you are you hav't age to day thanks for that Ro going to Bor my nose um it was it was the most wonderful experience because it was my first trophy as well so uh to win that and it was it it was a replay it was at philler Park which they put a Gantry up there for us to walk along to to go and collect the trophy which I thought was going to give way underneath it's all these things you remember but just getting your hands on it for the very first time was special ask a lot of Liverpool fans of that era they'll tell you what a big game it was replay West Ham at spiller's Ground was huge so beat them and we I still remember it it was a wonderful performance went one nil down some of the football that we played was some of the best that I ever played in any game and for you you as we said have won it with Leicester before you started winning trophies with Liverpool very late equalizers I think a 19-year-old in the first one in 1997 and again I guess that as a player gives you the belief that you can go on to the biggest stage in a cup final and perform yeah 100% again when you're to looking at them them sort of trophies I think Phil touched upon it there as a as a Leicester player this is something that we want to go and win and as the bigger clubs they were probably thinking they could put out their second and third string teams and we were lucky to to to write that wave a little bit we we beat arsenal we beat Manu uh to go to the final and then uh uh I got a little was it a two yard screamer to take us to to a replay again so then that was at uh at um cheff Wednesday Em I'm very disappointed we not been able to get that goal honestly cost a few quid that we quite simply haven't got but we've got some lovely Stills which I'm sure we've seen and we've got some memories from Emil playing for Liverpool before before we get to that though do you think it's become more difficult for teams like what was alester you a very good team under Martin and Neil but now it seems to be it's been man city a lot recently and then the last couple of years Liverpool and then Manchester United last season I think he more the the bigger clubs uh stamping their Authority on each other because that's the first trophy that can be won so you want to really win that one and this is what everyone's doing and you're seeing more Liverpool uh Liverpool V Man City Man City V Chelsea Etc finals where before my last final before um coming to Liverpool it was was Leicester versus tramy so you wouldn't have thought that you know uh but now it's the bigger clubs are wanting to win that because they stamping their authorities early on I think all the big clubs in the early rounds I think they've always played a sort of lesser team if you want to give others to blood them they look at them and they go well we've got such big squads now when are they going to get a game if you just keep them and you keep playing the same side it's nobody is getting any experience so I do understand that as the competition goes on and you get there to that quarterfinal you know the semi-finals two-legged Affair and it's not far that's when it becomes even more important so I get a little bit early on you said about Man City Man City had two teams which were equal that is why they've won it so often take me to the two finals that you won with Liverpool then we were talking about Leicester being a game against Championship opposition it was the same when you won it with with Liverpool against Birmingham yeah I remember that game um obviously playing up front with with Robbie at the time and I can remember just uh we all we we played so well together me Michael Robbie Etc played really well together and I remember just flicking on a ball and Robbie doing what he does best where with a volley and obviously going to penalties and we want what about we talked about having replays in in the League Cup what about the years where he was at Cardiff did it lose anything at all because it was in Cardiff rather than at Wembley well you could say that because Wembley was still extra special wasn't it but we made um Cardiff our home and we were going down there for charity Shields the rec Cup games everybody was calling it anfield South it was wonderful the pubs down there the clubs down there everybody became first members with with the security staff on the doors so it was it be come home from home so it was special and of course we have a big affiliation to the Welch and I think that made it great it was a special occasion going there for that first game um was great and we're talking about a God blessing Trevor Francis was the manager of Birmingham and for 90 minutes we batted them and I remember Trevor years after saying oh we didn't win that game and you've go no no no you scored a penalty in the last in the last dying seconds and and there's a decisive moment where Andy Johnson misses the penalty and sander vestel the hero that day the important thing was as well was jard julier in his in his team talks how important for you your group of lads and he took every single player who played a part the young Lads who' played in the early rounds he took every we we took to buses I know that's that's not an unusual now but back then it was because he wanted everybody involved so he treated it massive he said this could be the start of something special for you crack the first one and the other ones will come along and it was giv the boys that belief winning The League Cup so it was a very special moment for everybody and I know we've already spoken about that you arve having won it a couple of times with Lester but there had always been players in the dresser ring that hadn't won something at all at Club level how important were people like Tomo in the old bootroom the coaching staff who said look this is Liverpool the currency is winning trophies this is what you're here for well not just that for for calming The Lads down because you can go into them games and feeling very nervous very on edge wanting to get out there but you're you're you can't control your emotions but the gerro what's C J Julio was fantastic at that as well you know just calming us down and giving us giving us our instructions just straightforward um we took a lot of time on the pitch a lot of time in in meetings it was funny the meetings because I'd never gone I'd never had 40-minute meetings before and then to go to that but when you went on the pitch you knew knew everything and then you knew what your job was and and you go and implement it talk about the changes and Jurgen klopp says in his program not notes tonight there will be some people who think I've made too many there will be some people who says I haven't made enough but you're right that it is an opportunity that whoever might start will be people who've been knocking on the door in the last couple of weeks and said I should be playing and this is your opportunity to show why you should be playing in the Premier League and I I think some players who play in this games in the games will go why am I playing here why am I being demoted and playing this game most salah's having the rest so so so's having an arrest but aren you put me out here no it's not you do you want to play we have massive squads now and everybody needs a chance to play to get up to speed and these are the games for it you put them out in the early rounds and you you look at them you're going this team should be winning it once we' seen the team when we got it just before you went that should be winning this game against Leicester you might come unstuck but I would look at it and I would I understand it and people do when you win it it's like last week when he made the changes against lask people went oh my goodness one they down why is he doing that I did the same thing and you think no no no he's got to give the other players a chance I think the wording as well is key um we use the word dropped we use the word rested we use the word but we have they have so such big squads and everyone's capable of actually going on there and Performing so you've got to give everyone a chance and I think the wording is key when you're actually talking to players on how you actually present it to them well let's find out just two Jurgen klopp has selected for tonight's game with details of the Liverpool team here Peter McDow thanks Rob really tricky on this for Jurgen klopp tonight he knows about the demands that he places on these players but they're in such a good moment and really want to attack this competition this year here that he really had to try and Shuffle his pack somewhat from the team that was so impressive in the second half against West Ham at the weekend the team also that played um Thursday Saturday Wednesday they'll play against Saturday uh this weekend so really had to be careful with some of the players that have contributed now to this 18 match Premier League unbeaten run they've won every game since they drew at Chelsea on the opening day and only concerns about Trent Alexander Arnold who's trained well this week but of course not considered for this one tonight and also Thiago but really um an embarrassment of riches you might say from a squad point of view so only one Survivor from the team at the weekend that is Curtis Jones who has a dual role of a responsibility tonight looks as though he's going to be asked to play in that right back position and also takes the captain's armband for the Reds tonight as well so let's confirm that team in full for you then and qu Keller hting goal it's his competition isn't it really um sign a new long-term contract not that long ago um pep Lind is saying during the week he could play in any other Premier League team and has this very special record in the competition as well save more penalties for Liverpool in shootouts than any other goalkeeper in their history nine appearances in the League Cup won four penalty shootouts in that time so Jones by the looks of things in that hybrid right back position asked to move into the Midfield when Liverpool have possession canate back in the side again K qur Center back alongside him and also a game for Costa Simas fresh him his brand new contract and gets an opportunity as well as Do's Ryan graen bur and Harvey Elliot and then bendo so so much excitement about him somebody again that pep Lind has talked about in the week he's almost like a Dutch throwback to those Wingers that he said caused so much chaos back in the day uh made his debut in this competition against Darby coming off the bench last year Dogo jotto is now Liverpool's um top scorer in this competition got a hatrick against this opposition a couple of years ago in his time at wolves and also a game too for uh Cody gakpo experience on the bench um Nunez will be hoping to get his 50th appearance at some point for Liverpool tonight as well and as you can see there an embarrassment of riches where they're concerned on the bench as well Leicester could be the lucky Omen we've played three games against them in this competition beat them twice and both times when we've beaten them we've gone all the way to the final yeah hopefully that is a lucky Omen for this evening and for the rest of the carabal cup campaign let's start then with Curtis Jones as a right back this evening discuss Captain as well Captain as well what a moment uh yeah great moment for him I think I think when you putting midfielders right back there's obviously uh other things going on especially when you're in in possession um he'll he'll probably swing into the Midfield there and be a holding Midfield might play with two sixes in there and and swing the other three round to make it a three at the back so they've got two pivots but he's very comfortable at doing that the only thing is what you'll have to see is when he's comfortable out of possession when uh when he's got to defend back there but he's got plenty of help what' you reckon well since the weekend he's not had very long has he to sort of try this out but if you think back to last Thursday uh byic played him at right back and he has now this inv fullback so yes as em has just alluded to you can see him moving in there kis Jones has had an excellent start to the season you can see him more regular playing Kus had have one good game in maybe four or five we're seeing it nearly every game he's playing seven or eight out of 10 so his performance levels are that defensively he might get caught out because as just accept that though if you're going to play him there that that exactly well that's why I think jgen is taking this opportunity to try it to see what he's very good at I think that Stefan only maybe Last by by cich 45 minutes or something in the game so he has given it a goal so I I like it Curtis has been excellent and I think that confidence that he's got that he's been playing most games he's saying well there you go you're going to play it but this is what you do you've seen Trent do it Joe did it at the weekend so I think it's a great opportunity to see other players in other positions but as well I don't think he he's going to be swinging into a position that he's comfortable with so it's not like he's going to be coming from right back into into a Midfield that he's not he's got used to he's coming into his own position it's just that he's starting from a different position cuz actually that's what you'd probably say about Gomez in the Wolves game he was asked to step into Midfield and that was the area where he didn't look quite as comfortable untable and you you you you're I would say get found out but you soon see who is comfortable on the ball who can who can uh receive the ball and be a 360 looking over the shoulder whereas usually you just see that position right in front of you so it's difficult at times Kus is a good passer of the ball yeah and he might find himself with More Time by just drifting in there the way Trent did cuz people say oh you know the inverted fullback going in you have to think of the opposition and what they're going to do cuz when he moves in there from that wide position you can't pick him up because they've got the people in Midfield who he's your man all of a sudden Kus will go in there and he'll be free so he's got chances to pick his pass he's got to make sure he doesn't have too many touches cuz that's that that's when you miss you lose the surprise as for some of the others starting tonight how impressed were you with Jerel K Quanza on his full debut against wolves it didn't it didn't worry me at all because I've seen him I've seen him play at the Academy and there was that wow factor when you seen a gerell play as I did a couple of times I went I went wow and I know we'd had a few injuries but I looked at him and he just used so much confidence when he did his first interview and he said I'm really cool personal and I went that he's took the words out of my mouth because he was so cool on the ball he was he was a young vanai it wasn't flustered at anything but even more so for such a tall ad he heads a great ball he probably think well why shouldn't he be I mean he'll tell you is that he gets up there and he gets above people and he heads it properly he doesn't just and he was glancing balls so he is awareness as a center back was all there so I'm not surprised at his inclusion in these games talking of the wild Factor have you had that from Ben do from what you've seen of him so far yeah look when you when you've got a young lad who can take players on you always got that wild Factor he the one it's the one player that um that the fans love to see the get he gets the fans off their off their seats and someone that can really uh give up opportunity to take their Defenders on to really put them on their back foot and this L doesn't give up that he will go at you and keep going at you and that's what you love about a a forward who just doesn't give up yes he might not get past you the first time but he might be the second or the third and he's very very good with both feet so that's good and as a coach then when you get someone like a Michael Owen or a Robbie Fowler to what extent do you say just go and do what you've been doing for the reserves or the academy and how much you try and get information into them I think you you're looking at two exceptional players Robbie was he was young he when he was champing at the bit had just so much confidence he had that scouty about and whereas it was I'm ready I can play Michael at 17 you needed him to play and he gets that the the game the goal at um C Park and you're going this boy needs to be included in the squads and that's why Ben do a lot of people just be thinking oh bok's in the squad again it's not it's it's he is in the squad but the including him to get matey with all the lads so that when he comes to play he doesn't freeze and this boy I'll tell you looking at him in in the under 18s under 21s he's fearless and I tell whoever plays left back for them tonight if they if they try and kick him or something like that be way because this boy is tough as they come I've seen him play for those against H Rangers and he's a Celtic fan oh my God he tormented the left back and I was like that I was wow this is fantastic so the boys got a bit about them uh if you've been watching our coverage on social media this evening you are about to leave us if you want to stay with us and aren't an LFC TV subscriber details of how to sign up on liverpoolfc.com slatch this is what it looks like for the rest of the evening it is a 7:45 kickoff here at anfield we will have full audio commentary of the game and then tommo and Emil hesy will be back alongside me at 10:00 as well as interviews from inside the tunnel on to later on 10:45 highlights of the match will be available on LFC TV go then midnight the full game on LFC TV and on go as well and then tomorrow on Facebook and YouTube it is inside and field with all the behind the scenes content from tonight's carabal Cup tie lots of changes then from Jurgen klopp plenty of new faces given the opportunity to impress the Liverpool manager as the Reds look to book their place in the last 16 of The League Cup benok starts Ryan grenberg Mak his first start at anfield Quine kellerer has been a hero against Leicester in the past but Liverpool will be captained by Curtis Jones [Music] tonights