Joe Gomez Returns for Liverpool in Carabao Cup Clash Against Tottenham

Joe Gomez is set to pull on a Liverpool shirt again at Anfield tonight, with the defender cleared for a return in the Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham.

The England international has not played a single competitive minute this season after suffering a muscle strain in pre-season. His absence has dragged on longer than Liverpool would have liked, but Andoni Iraola confirmed the 27-year-old is finally back in the frame for the third-round clash.

“Joe is training with the team and is available for tomorrow. It's a matter of deciding how much he can play,” the Liverpool manager said on Monday, leaving the door open for anything from a cautious cameo to a full-blooded start.

Gomez’s comeback will not be the only tweak to the side. Iraola has already signposted rotation, hinting that Anfield will see a very different Liverpool XI under the lights.

“We will see tomorrow players we haven't seen,” he teased, a clear signal that the Carabao Cup will double as an audition stage for those stuck on the fringes.

One of those is Wataru Endo. The Japan midfielder has been limited to watching from the bench so far this campaign, an unused substitute waiting for a break. Tonight could finally hand him the minutes he has been chasing.

The door is also open for the club’s younger faces. Rio Ngumoha, who impressed off the bench in the second half against Fulham, looks well placed to step into the starting lineup. Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas are also pushing, both having tasted action as substitutes recently and now eyeing first starts of the season if Iraola leans into youth.

There is another path, though. If the Liverpool boss decides the night is better used sharpening his newer signings, Bradley Barcola comes into sharp focus. The forward is in a busy spell and could be handed a third start in the space of a week, a clear sign of trust if his name appears on the teamsheet again.

Up front, the options are thinner. With Hugo Ekitike still sidelined, Alexander Isak stands as the only senior centre-forward fully available. That reality could nudge Cody Gakpo into a central role, the Dutchman more than capable of operating through the middle if Iraola chooses to protect Isak’s workload.

Rotation, returns, and a thread of risk. For Gomez and several of his teammates, tonight is more than a cup tie against Tottenham; it is a chance to reset their seasons in one sharp, decisive evening at Anfield.