Liverpool travel to Southampton in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night as the Reds look to keep alive their hopes of defending the trophy
Liverpool’s quest to defend the Carabao Cup continues as they take on Southampton in the quarter-final. The Reds travel to St Mary’s on Wednesday night, just days after a draw with Fulham in the Premier League.
Arne Slot, who took over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer, is eyeing his first major trophy win. A victory against Southampton would secure the Reds’ spot in the semi-final, putting them just two games away from the grand Wembley Stadium finale.
The quarter-final clash with Southampton will not feature VAR, a technology that has become a regular part of Premier League matches. Liverpool have grown accustomed to the use of a video assistant referee since its introduction in the Carabao Cup during the 2018/19 season, before it was adopted in the top flight the following campaign.
However, since the 2019/20 season, VAR has only been utilized in the Carabao Cup from the semi-final stage onwards. This will be the case when Liverpool takes on Southampton on Wednesday evening in the quarter-final, with no video technology being implemented.
Liverpool secured their place in the quarter-final by defeating Brighton in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. If the Reds manage to overcome the Saints, the first leg of the semi-final, which will include the use of VAR, is scheduled for January 8, with the return leg set for almost a month later on February 5.
The Carabao Cup quarter-final showdown at St Mary’s is not the only one going ahead without VAR this week. Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace, Newcastle’s match against Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Manchester United are also set to take center stage.
Arne Slot made the decision to leave Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah out of his squad for the trip to Southampton with a host of youngsters given the nod. The Reds face a busy festive period and travels to Tottenham this weekend.