Team News: Philippe Coutinho starts EFL Cup tie against Leicester City

Philippe Coutinho has been named in Liverpool's starting lineup for this evening's EFL Cup tie against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

The Brazil international has been eased back into action since returning to club duty earlier this month, starting his first game of the campaign against Burnley last time out.

Coutinho is one of three players to retain their spot in the side for last season's beaten semi-finalists, with boss Jurgen Klopp making eight changes on the back of the disappointing 1-1 draw against the Clarets at the weekend.

There are starts for fringe players Jon Flanagan, Marko Grujic, Dominic Solanke and Danny Ward, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is used from the off for the first time since joining from Arsenal on deadline day.

In terms of the home side, manager Craig Shakespeare has decided against fielding star striker Jamie Vardy after he picked up a groin injury in the 1-1 draw away to Huddersfield Town.

Vardy is one of seven players to make way from that most recent outing as Shakespeare, also without injured stars Matty James, Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs, opts to rotate things.

Leicester, who have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 12 EFL Cup outings, also hand a full debut to Aleksandar Dragovic alongside Wes Morgan in central defence.

Leicester City: Hamer; Amartey, Dragovic, Morgan, Chilwell; Albrighton, Iborra, Ndidi, Gray; Slimani, Ulloa Subs: Jakupovic, Benalouane, Choudhury, Mahrez, Musa, Okazaki, Iheanacho

Liverpool: Ward; Flanagan, Gomez, Klavan, Robertson; Henderson, Grujic, Wijnaldum; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coutinho, Solanke Subs: Karius, Milner, Moreno, Ings, Markovic, Woodburn, Alexander-Arnold

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