Liverpool commence the defence of their EFL Cup crown on Wednesday evening, when Derby County visit Anfield for the third round.
The Reds defeated Chelsea on penalties in the final of the 2021-22 edition, while the Rams have beaten Mansfield Town and West Bromwich Albion in the current tournament.
Match preview
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Ending Manchester City's spate of dominance in the Premier League has not been so easy for Liverpool, but Jurgen Klopp's side were the beneficiaries of the Citizens' early exit in the EFL Cup last year, as Pep Guardiola's side missed out on a fifth-straight trophy.
Instead, Liverpool got the better of Chelsea from 12 yards before repeating the same trick against the Blues in the final of the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup success marked the start of the quadruple dream that did not quite become a reality for the Reds.
It has been a whirlwind few days for Klopp's side, who defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to end a two-game losing run in the Premier League before learning that they would be tackling Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, as they seek revenge for their final disappointment in May.
Liverpool are aiming to get their hands on the EFL Cup for a record-extending 10th time this season, but they were knocked out of the third round as recently as the 2017-18 and 2018-19 editions, but not since losing to Northampton Town in 2010-11 have they been sent packing by lower-tier opposition.
Leeds United may have ended Liverpool's remarkable unbeaten Premier League run at Anfield, but that 2-1 loss represents the only home defeat that Klopp's side have suffered in their last 17 matches, and they have not been shut out on their own turf since March.
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Going on a four-game unbeaten run looks at first glance to be a positive statistic for Derby County ahead of a trip to Anfield, but a record of two wins from their last nine and a draw with non-league Torquay United in the FA Cup is perhaps less so.
William Osula put the Rams two goals to the good in their first-round tie with Torquay, but Eiran Cashin's sending off opened the door for the National League side to restore parity and force a replay through Asa Hall and Will Goodwin.
Despite that FA Cup disappointment, Paul Warne's men have experience when it comes to eliminating high-level opposition from the EFL Cup, knocking out West Brom in the second round this year via a 1-0 scoreline after edging past Mansfield in round one.
The League One side - who have slipped to seventh in the table and are now outside of the playoff places amid their downturn in form - are yet to win an EFL Cup for their trophy cabinet, but they have already fared better this year than they did in the previous three seasons, all of which saw Derby eliminated in the second round.
Liverpool and Derby's most recent meeting came in the third round of the 2016-17 EFL Cup, with Klopp's side running out comfortable 3-0 winners, and the Reds have now gone nine games unbeaten against the Rams since losing 3-2 in the Premier League in March 1999.
Team News
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Long-term absentees Joel Matip, Luis Diaz, Arthur and Diogo Jota are still absent for Liverpool, while Naby Keita and James Milner are also out but could return for Saturday's clash with Southampton.
Several fringe players considered for starts regardless, with Caoimhin Kelleher confirmed to be replacing Alisson Becker after starring en route to the crown for the Reds last term, scoring the title-clinching penalty against Chelsea in the final.
Nat Phillips, Kostas Tsimikas, Fabio Carvalho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should also be considered for starts, and there could even be spots in the XI for Calvin Ramsay and Stefan Bajcetic, with both players hoping to make their full senior debuts for the Reds.
As for Derby, centre-back Cashin will not serve a suspension here after the club successfully appealed his red card in the FA Cup, where Conor Hourihane was back from a ban of his own to make the bench.
Joseph Anang, Curtis Davies, James Chester and Tom Barkhuizen are injured for the visitors, but Jason Knight is now back in contention. David McGoldrick was also absent through illness at the weekend and will need a once-over too.
McGoldrick was one of only two players to drop out of the Derby starting XI for the trip to Torquay, and Warne should stick with a similar setup here, but Richard Stearman is pushing for inclusion at the back.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Ramsay, Gomez, Phillips, Tsimikas; Elliott, Bajcetic, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carvalho; Firmino, Nunez
Derby County possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Smith, Forsyth, Cashin, Roberts; Mendez-Laing, Hourihane, Bird, Dobbin; Osula, Collins
We say: Liverpool 3-0 Derby County
Even if McGoldrick fights off his virus in time to make the squad, Derby will not be expecting miracles on the Anfield turf, and confidence will not exactly be sky-high after the weekend.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will certainly use this opportunity to rotate their resources, but we can only picture Klopp's side sailing through to the fourth round.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
