Liverpool backup netminder Freddie Woodman has expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of the Republic of Ireland's Caoimhín Kelleher by taking a spot in Arne Slot's squad to face Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Woodman could well come in for Giorgi Mamardashvili if Slot continues his tradition of selecting his second keeper for cup competitions.
Kelleher started six cup matches last season for the Reds, before moving to Brentford on a five-year contract earlier this year.
Following a frustrating patch of form in the Premier League, where Liverpool are on a four-game losing run, the attention now turns to cup action as Arne Slot's side prepare to host Palace in the last 16 on Wednesday.
Both teams have already met this season in the league as the Eagles claimed a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park in September thanks to Eddie Nketiah’s last-gasp goal.
The Reds were runners-up in last year’s Carabao Cup, losing 2-1 to Newcastle at Wembley, but have won the competition 10 times previously, with their last triumph coming in 2024 after beating Chelsea 1-0.
Goalkeeper Woodman joined Liverpool in the summer when his contract at Preston expired and is yet to make a competitive appearance for the Reds, but he stressed the importance of taking the Carabao Cup seriously.
Woodman told the official Liverpool website: "Any time I get to pull on the jersey for this club, whether it be a pre-season game or whatever competition, I’ll always just try to do my best and enjoy the moment, because I’ve spent a lot of time playing in the Championship and so to play for a club with this history is pretty special.
"It’s clear that this club takes the competition seriously, like it does every competition. When you get to the latter stages, you go to Wembley and you see how important it is to the fans.
"We train in the goalkeeping area at the training centre and I regularly see the photo of Caoimhín Kelleher on the wall after his success in the recent finals, and that’s how important it is.
"You can really write yourself into history if you win trophies at this club, so I know how important it is and the club recognises how important this competition is too."
