Liverpool vs Tottenham: Carabao Cup Match Preview & Team News

Liverpool vs Tottenham takes place at Anfield on Tuesday, 15 September 2026 in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 SAST, with Liverpool entering the competition at this stage and Tottenham arriving after a 5-1 second-round win over Charlton Athletic.

Both teams come into the tie after goalless Premier League draws on Saturday. Liverpool were held 0-0 by Fulham at Anfield, while Tottenham drew 0-0 with Everton. The short turnaround places squad depth and selection at the centre of the pre-match story.

This preview covers the confirmed fixture details, latest team news, recent form and the recent cup history between the clubs. Confirmed starting lineups should be handled separately once both teams officially announce their XIs.

The tie was originally scheduled for Wednesday, 16 September, but it was moved forward by a day after Champions League scheduling created a clash. The kick-off time remained unchanged at 20:00 BST.

Liverpool begin their Carabao Cup campaign in the third round. Tottenham have already played once in the competition this season, beating Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the second round.

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Liverpool’s current team news points towards changes from the side that drew with Fulham. Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Giorgi Mamardashvili will start in goal, which would be his first appearance of the 2026/27 season.

Joe Gomez is fit again after recovering from the muscle injury he sustained in pre-season and is available for selection, although Iraola has said his minutes still need to be managed. Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable.

Liverpool were held 0-0 by Fulham at Anfield on 12 September, ending their attempt to record a third consecutive victory in all competitions. The schedule is also demanding: this is Liverpool’s third match in a short period, so Iraola has acknowledged that workload will influence his selection.

READ ALSO: Liverpool’s recent squad and lineup coverage

Tottenham have received a boost with Destiny Udogie available again after missing the 0-0 draw against Everton. However, Sandro Tonali will miss the trip after picking up a knock, while Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski remain unavailable.

Richarlison will also not feature. Mykhailo Mudryk, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons have been among Tottenham’s recent injury absentees, so Roberto De Zerbi has several selection decisions to make across a busy run of fixtures.

Tottenham’s latest league match ended 0-0 against Everton. They created promising situations, particularly early in the game, but again struggled to turn possession and territory into goals. The Carabao Cup has provided a different attacking picture, however, after the 5-1 win over Charlton in the previous round.

The clubs last met at Anfield in March 2026, when a late Richarlison goal earned Tottenham a 1-1 Premier League draw after Dominik Szoboszlai had put Liverpool ahead.

The most recent Carabao Cup tie between the sides came in the 2024/25 semi-finals. Tottenham won the first leg 1-0, but Liverpool overturned the deficit with a 4-0 victory at Anfield and progressed 4-1 on aggregate.

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Squad rotation is likely to be one of the biggest factors. Liverpool’s schedule has forced Iraola to weigh player workload carefully, while Tottenham also have several absences and a Premier League fixture against Aston Villa coming four days later.

Goalkeeping is already one confirmed change for Liverpool, with Mamardashvili set to replace Alisson. Gomez’s return could also give Iraola another defensive option after a long spell out.

For Tottenham, the return of Udogie improves De Zerbi’s options on the left, but the absences of Tonali and Porro remove two regular starters from the available group. How both managers balance established first-team players with those needing minutes could shape the tie.

For changing match information such as confirmed lineups, live scores, goals, cards and match events, follow SP Score. This page should remain the pre-match preview, while confirmed lineups, live information and the final result are handled separately.

Eligible adults who want to explore the football markets available for the fixture can visit SportPesa South Africa’s soccer section. Market availability and prices can change before kick-off. Bet responsibly.

The Carabao Cup third-round tie is scheduled for Tuesday, 15 September 2026.

Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 SAST, which is 20:00 BST.

The match will be played at Anfield in Liverpool.

The fixture is in the third round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup.

The tie was moved forward from 16 September after Champions League scheduling created a fixture clash.

No. Confirmed starting XIs should only be added once both clubs officially release their teams.

Liverpool vs Tottenham brings two Premier League clubs together at Anfield in one of the standout ties of the Carabao Cup third round. The match kicks off at 21:00 SAST on Tuesday, 15 September 2026.

Both managers have selection decisions to make after goalless league draws at the weekend, with Liverpool managing a demanding schedule and Tottenham carrying several absences. Confirmed lineups and any late team-news changes should be checked against official club communication before kick-off.