Will he get his chance? Chiesa is looking forward to getting minutes against Southampton

Federico Chiesa is poised to make a significant return to the Liverpool squad for their EFL Cup quarter-final clash against Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium tomorrow night.

Following a summer move from Juventus, the Italian winger has faced injury and fitness challenges, limiting his appearances to just three games for the Reds, the last of which was a 2-1 victory over West Ham at Anfield on September 25th.

Chiesa was on the bench for Liverpool's recent 2-2 draw with Fulham at the weekend, but manager Arne Slot has confirmed he will play a part in the upcoming fixture.

"This is definitely an opportunity for him to get some valuable minutes on the pitch," commented Slot. "However, the question is how many minutes we can expect from him. Given the high intensity of these games, especially after being out for five or six months, you can't expect him to play the full 90 minutes. If he has a good training session, he will definitely see some action."

He added, "Whether he starts or comes on in the second half is a decision we will have to make closer to the game."

Diogo Jota is unlikely to start after missing training, but Slot indicated that midfielder Wataru Endo could play a prominent role in the match.

Liverpool go into the game just two points clear at the top of the Premier League but remain competitive in all three domestic competitions they are involved in. When asked about the Reds' strong start to the season, Slot said: "It's natural for Liverpool to be fighting for every trophy. Our history shows that we have the intent to go deep in every competition, and winning the EFL Cup last season was a testament to that drive. So I'm not surprised to see us in contention for these trophies, as well as the FA Cup which starts in January."

"It's certainly a challenge, particularly with the calibre of teams also competing. Every game in the League Cup isn't going to be a walk in the park, as we've seen with the other teams still in the competition."

Liverpool will face a Southampton side still adjusting to the recent departure of head coach Russell Martin, following their demoralising 5-0 defeat to Tottenham just days ago. Slot extended his condolences to Martin, as well as to Wolves' Gary O'Neil who also parted ways with his club over the weekend, but acknowledged that results often dictate a manager's fate.

"It's a shame to see such outcomes, especially for Russell Martin who did a commendable job last season at Southampton. He set up his team to play an attractive style of football, and we know first-hand how tough they can be: we only narrowly beat them 3-2. It always feels unfair when capable managers don't get time to see out their vision. Unfortunately, when points aren't secured, the reality is that managers have to face the consequences," he concluded.