Scout Notes – Carabao Cup – Tuesday

Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino provide some hints about their weekend line-ups, while West Ham and Swansea City continue to keep things tight at the back.

There’s a first win for Roy Hodgson and a first goal for Josh King, but it’s more away day gloom for Stoke City.

Here are the notes from Tuesday’s Carabao Cup ties…

Coutinho primed for repeat performance

Liverpool warmed up for Saturday’s trip to Leicester City with a midweek Carabao Cup trip…to Leicester City.

They left having lost 2-0 but with a few pointers as to who will make the return journey at the weekend.

Philippe Coutinho started and ran the show until taken off at half-time by Jurgen Klopp, with the manager quick to explain the substitution post-match.

“That was the plan before the game, he needs match time but it was not for a second the plan [to keep him on] and it was not allowed to let him play again for 90 minutes, or 60 or 70 or 80 or whatever. It was clear that 45 is the limit, we need to make him fit but we cannot push him through. That’s all.”

With Sadio Mane serving the final match of his suspension in Saturday’s tea-time kick-off, Coutinho looks likely to make his third start in a week at the King Power.

The same probably can’t be said for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was handed his first Liverpool start last night and only occasionally made much of a case for another one in Gameweek 6.

But Fantasy Premier League managers with Alberto Moreno (2.0%) or Trent Alexander-Arnold (2.1%) in their squads would have been encouraged by Tuesday’s teamsheet.

Both were unused subs at Leicester and although Andrew Robertson combined well with Coutinho down the left in the first half, it could be that both he and the versatile Joe Gomez will be back on the bench for Saturday’s league match.

Gomez is suspended for the Champions League trip to Moscow, although with Jon Flanagan as back-up, Klopp is perhaps willing to risk Alexander-Arnold against the Foxes on Saturday, regardless.

Leicester survived a Coutinho-inspired first-half battering to win 2-0, thanks to goals after the break from Shinji Okazaki and Islam Slimani.

Midfielder Vicente Iborra provided an assist on his debut for the Foxes, while his fellow new signing, defender Aleksandar Dragovic, also made his Leicester bow.

Spurs make no mistake?

Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino sent out mixed messages aplenty as his side laboured to a 1-0 win over Barnsley.

He spoke pre-match of how prioritising domestic cups over the league and Champions League would be ‘a big mistake’ and then promptly picked a strong side including match-winner Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Jan Vertonghen.

Fernando Llorente made his first start for Spurs, with Harry Kane an unused sub, defender Juan Foyth was handed a debut and Kieran Trippier played the full 90 minutes and set up Alli’s goal.

The presence of the England midfielder was perhaps understandable as he is suspended for the next two European matches, but Son’s 90-minute shift suggests his next start might come on Tuesday in Cyprus rather than this Saturday lunchtime at West Ham.

More shut-outs for Hammers and Swans

West Ham’s mini-revival continued with a 3-0 win over Bolton in which Marko Arnautovic caught the eye with two assists.

It was a third match undefeated for the Hammers, who have now kept three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Slaven Bilic’s men might struggle to keep that defensive record up when Spurs, who have scored five goals in two away matches, visit on Saturday, but the side is generally in a good place to take advantage of the decent run (SWA bur BHA cry) that follows.

Goals came from Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku, while Mark Noble returned from injury to start for the Hammers.

Swansea City have been even more solid defensively – particularly away from home.

Paul Clement’s side won 2-0 at Reading to notch their fourth clean sheet in six matches in all competitions this season, all of which have come on the road.

That is the only downside to an otherwise excellent upcoming schedule for the Swans. They’ll face Watford, West Ham, Huddersfield and Leicester over the next four Gameweeks, with the Hammers encounter the only away match.

Clement mixed and matched his team at the Madejski Stadium, handing Wilfried Bony his first start since rejoining the club, but it was regular starter Alfie Mawson who opened the scoring from a Renato Sanches corner.

The centre-half scored four times last season and if he can rediscover his goal touch in the league, a 5.0 price tag might look rather more appealing given Swansea’s solidity at the back.

Second-half substitute Jordan Ayew wrapped up the win from a Leroy Fer pass.

The Swans teamsheet for the Gameweek 6 meeting with Watford will now be interesting, with Clement clearly lining Bony up for his first Premier League start.

“He is in good shape, he played 60 minutes for the under-23 team last week and now he has played 80 minutes in this game, so I think he is ready to start now in the Premier League.”

It remains to be seen if this impacts on Tammy Abraham or if it’s Ayew who makes way – both were used from the bench on Tuesday.

The alternative could be to pair Bony and Abraham, with Ayew deployed as a number ten – a very attacking option.

Elsewhere…

Josh King scored his first goal of the season, from a Marc Pugh assist, as Bournemouth beat Brighton 1-0 after extra time.

A full 120 minutes was not what either side would have wanted, with the Cherries’ upcoming schedule particularly tough. Three of their next five matches are away from home, including a trip to Spurs, and they also have a visit from Chelsea to look forward to.

Eddie Howe made nine changes, Chris Hughton ten, the Brighton manager handing starts to Jose Izquierdo, Ezequiel Schelotto and Tim Krul.

Meanwhile Howe was able to welcome back both Steve Cook in defence and Junior Stanislas on the flank. Both will be considered for the trip to Everton in Gameweek 6, although the Cherries boss did admit that they were “taking no risks” with Stanislas.

With both Ryan Fraser and Jordan Ibe playing over 100 minutes apiece, Howe’s choice of winger for the Goodison Park visit is in question. It could be that both are benched along with Marc Pugh as Howe reverts to a 3-5-1-1 now that Cook is now back as an option in a back three.

Burnley striker Chris Wood scored his third goal of the season, this time from the penalty spot after Kevin Long was fouled, but the Clarets still ended up losing to Leeds.

Sean Dyche’s men had to come from behind twice, with a 96th minute Robbie Brady free-kick taking the tie into extra-time before Leeds prevailed on penalties.

It’s now two defeats in three home matches for Burnley. Their next four at Turf Moor are HUD WHU NEW and SWA, but their ground is currently not the fortress it was last season.

Bakary Sako scored Crystal Palace’s first goal under Roy Hodgson as they saw off Huddersfield 1-0.

The midfielder converted a corner from Andros Townsend, the winger one of only two players to make the cut from the weekend defeat to Southampton.

Substitute Pape Souare made an emotional return to action after recovering from a car crash that threatened to end his career a year ago. Mamadou Sakho‘s appearance was perhaps more significant from a Fantasy perspective. He was given 70 minutes on his return to the starting line-up and will surely be line to start against Manchester City in Gameweek 6’s early kick-off.

Midfielder Jonathan Hogg made his first start of the season, and Florent Hadergjonaj his competitive debut, for the Terriers – two of nine changes from the side that drew with Leicester.

Stoke City made six changes, but still put out a relatively strong side for the trip to Bristol City.

Peter Crouch, Kurt Zouma, Kevin Wimmer and Darren Fletcher all started as the Potters slumped to a 2-0 defeat.

Stoke have now lost three and drawn one of their four away matches this season. They’ve also conceded six goals in their last three fixtures – hardly ideal preparation for a visit from Chelsea on Saturday, particularly with the on-loan Zouma – one of their stand-out performers this season – unable to face his parent club.