Slot backs Alexander-Arnold
Tottenham v Liverpool (20:00 GMT)
Liverpool
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot attempted to place a protective arm around Trent Alexander-Arnold by suggesting no-one mentions the effect of contract issues when the team are winning.
The England defender was criticised for a poor performance in Sundayâs 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United, just days after Real Madrid made an approach for the 26-year-old whose current deal expires in the summer.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are in similar positions but Alexander-Arnold, an academy graduate and one of their most valuable assets, has found the spotlight focused firmly on him of late.
But Slot insisted results determine reactions as no-one makes a fuss when his team win, and he feels the players deserve some credit for the level of consistency they are producing â the team are top of the Premier League and Champions League â despite uncertainty over their futures.
âWhat I do know this season, all the points and all the results we got this season are deserved,â the Dutchman said. âAll the players are fit at the moment but if we drop points when we have injuries, people say it is because you have injuries.
âIf we drop points when Mo misses a penalty against (Real) Madrid, he is distracted by his contract situation. If Trent has not his best performance, he is distracted by the contract situation. If they play really well nobody tells me, âThatâs because they have a contract situationâ.
âWe always try to find arguments but nine out of 10 times the best argument is the quality of the team you face or the game-plan the other team has.â
'We want to win everything'
Tottenham v Liverpool (20:00 GMT)
Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas has admitted his side must beat a "very, very hard opponent" if they are to once again reach the Carabao Cup final.
The Reds are hoping to lift the trophy for the second season running, but now need to get the better of Tottenham over two legs to reach the Wembley final.
Tsimikas told the club's official website: "Always when we play against them it's really tough.
"We have to win both games if we want to be at Wembley. They have very, very talented players and they play really, really good football.
"It's a very, very hard opponent to play against, but this team showed many, many times that we are 100% focused.
"The team is clear: we want to win everything."
'It's tricky, they fly a lot' - Arteta on EFL Cup balls
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta still believes his side can reach the Carabao Cup final - but says his players must first master the "tricky" ball used in the competition.
The Gunners were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle in Tuesday's semi-final first leg after goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
Arsenal had 23 shots during the match but just three were on target, as Gabriel Martinelli struck the post and Kai Havertz headed a simple chance wide.
When he was asked about the missed chances in his post-match news conference, Arteta said he would not tell his players to change anything, but did mention the impact the ball had.
"We kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's tricky that these balls fly a lot so there's details that we can do better," he said. "But at the end that's gone - there's no way back, it's about the next game and that's our world, the reality is our world.
"It's just half-time. When I see the team play, and how we deal with a lot of situations and play against a very good team, I must say I have full belief that we can go out there and do it."
Prior to the defeat by Newcastle, the Gunners had scored 11 goals in three EFL Cup ties so far this season.
The ball in the competition is made by Puma, while the ball used in the Premier League is manufactured by Nike. Clubs are given balls to train with before EFL Cup fixtures.
Newcastle take control of first semi-final
Tuesday: Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle
Alexander Isak's rich goalscoring form continued as Newcastle United took control of their Carabao Cup semi-final with a superb first-leg win against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
Newcastle have never won the competition but will make their second final in three seasons if they avoid defeat, or lose by a one-goal margin, in the second leg at St James' Park on 5 February.
Arsenal, second in the Premier League, started the tie as favourites, but have it all to do in the return fixture.
Isak scored his 14th goal in 15 games to set Newcastle on the way to their seventh successive win.
Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka's free-kick was launched forward, Sven Botman headed the ball on and Jacob Murphy played it into Isak's path with the Swede lifting a composed finish past David Raya.
Anthony Gordon doubled the visitors' lead in the 51st minute, converting the rebound after Raya could only parry Isak's shot.
Gabriel Martinelli had hit the post for the Gunners when the game was goalless, with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba also failing to score with close-range headers.