Tottenham Hotspur face Liverpool at Anfield in the Carabao Cup third round with referee Andy Madley appointed to officiate. Spurs seek their first goal against top-flight opposition this season, while manager Roberto De Zerbi plans extensive squad rotation for the match.
The EFL confirmed that the 43-year-old official will take charge of the fixture, joined by assistant referees Wade Smith and Richard West, with Andrew Kitchen as fourth official. Madley has refereed 12 Spurs matches in his career, overseeing six wins, one draw, and five defeats. His inclusion revives memories of Tottenham’s 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace in March, where he showed Micky van de Ven a red card after the defender conceded a penalty. However, Van de Ven is unlikely to play at Anfield as De Zerbi prepares to alter his starting XI following Saturday’s match against Everton.
Offensive firepower remains a pressing issue for the visitors heading into Anfield. Tottenham have not scored against Premier League opponents this season, with their sole goals coming during their second-round victory over Charlton. With no European football on their schedule this year, going far in the League Cup is a clear objective for Roberto De Zerbi’s team. Yet a third-round trip to face Liverpool presents one of the toughest challenges in domestic competition, particularly for a squad struggling to break down top-flight defenses.
Squad selection decisions have added further intrigue ahead of kickoff. Striker Richarlison remains available for League Cup matches even though he was left out of Tottenham’s Premier League squad list. Despite the Brazilian forward holding an impressive scoring record against Liverpool, De Zerbi has explicitly ruled out naming him in his matchday squad for the fixture. The decision left Richarlison bemused given his history in this tie. Spurs now head to Merseyside needing to overcome both their goal drought and major team reshuffles to secure a place in the next round.
