Pep Lijnders issues EFL Cup final injury update on Salah, Nunez, Szoboszlai

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has confirmed that Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai will continue to be assessed ahead of Sunday's EFL Cup final with Chelsea at Wembley.

None of the trio was able to contribute to Wednesday's 4-1 Premier League triumph over Luton Town, where Salah and Nunez missed out with the issues they sustained against Brentford the previous weekend.

Meanwhile, Szoboszlai has now sat out each of the Reds' last four fixtures with a hamstring problem, which he sustained prior to the 3-1 loss to Arsenal on February 4, although Jurgen Klopp revealed earlier this month that he could be in line for a return at Wembley.

As is usually the case before EFL Cup fixtures, Klopp handed media duties over to assistant manager Lijnders, who has not ruled Salah, Nunez or Szoboszlai out of the imminent battle with the Blues.

However, Liverpool's eight long-term injury victims - Alisson Becker (hamstring), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Ben Doak (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Joel Matip (ACL), Diogo Jota (knee), Thiago Alcantara (muscle) or Curtis Jones (shin) - are all out of contention.

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Speaking to liverpoolfc.com on Friday morning, Lijnders confirmed that Jones could be back in action before the March international break, but the Reds' other seven confirmed absentees will take longer to recover.

"We come in a crazy schedule again, so we play every three days. It's important for us to use each minute, use each day to really look how the players are. This is for Mo, Dom and Darwin," Lijnders said.

"Two training sessions to go, let's see how they are and then we can make a decision in the last minute. And all the others, we know it's longer.

"Ali has a muscle injury. Trent, LCL. Jota, medial ligament, MCL. Curtis [has] a high ankle sprain. They will be longer out. Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break."

Liverpool will compete in a record-extending 14th EFL Cup final just four days on from their crushing of Luton in the Premier League, matching their success from their most recent clash with Chelsea towards the end of January.

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The Reds will - at least momentarily - boast a four-point lead at the top of the standings while they gear up for a shot at glory, and Lijnders also confirmed that the remainder of his troops came through Wednesday's game unscathed.

Quizzed on whether any players suffered injuries in midweek, Klopp's right-hand man responded: "So far I know not. All the boys had a day off yesterday but for us a day off means that they come in and they have treatment and, of course, we have to prepare the final.

"But for the boys it's proper recovery, so they all feel the necessity to use [it] in these moments where you play every three days and where certain boys have to play more because of the injuries.

"So, they are treating their body well, they are trying everything to be fresh, to be fit. But you know with our style, how we play, it's important. You have to respect the recovery as much as you respect the performance."

Liverpool bested Chelsea on penalties in the 2021-22 EFL Cup final to win the trophy for the ninth time - more than any other team in the history of the tournament - before also sinking the Blues on spot kicks to lift the FA Cup crown aloft later that season.