Fulham vs Liverpool live: Latest updates and lineup news from Carabao Cup semi-final

…and welcome to tonight’s League Cup semi-final live blog featuring Fulham vs Liverpool at Craven Cottage.

Jurgen Klopp’s men hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, but as Chelsea proved against Middlesbrough last night when they overturned a 1-0 deficit to triumph 6-2, it’s not over until the fat lady sings.

Liverpool are heavy favourites to join Chelsea in the final but their build-up to tonight’s match has been overshadowed by news that Mohamed Salah is out for up to a month after picking up a muscle injury playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah has even been accused of ‘plotting his departure’ from Afcon by Egypt legend Ahmed Hassan, who has taken exception to Salah returning to Merseyside for treatment, forcing Pep Lijnders, the Liverpool assistant manager, to defend Salah’s commitment to his country.

While Liverpool are likely to be without Salah until the middle of next month whatever the outcome of his rehabilitation, there is more positive news on the club’s long list of absentees.

Left-back Andy Robertson, who has been sidelined with a dislocated shoulder since October, is in the Liverpool squad. Not ready for tonight’s game, though, but probably for the weekend are Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Kostas Tsimikas another two weeks away from recovering fully from a broken collarbone.

But it is Robertson’s long-awaited return which will be a big boost. “Robbo is now 13 weeks after surgery and he got clearance to train fully with the team, can make contact as the bone has healed and that’s really cool,” said Lijnders.

“I just met him in the canteen and he said, ‘Pep, I’ve brought my tracksuit with me today’. He only trained once, but he is pushing himself into the squad. Medical team say it’s a coaching decision – so he’s in.”

Fulham are aiming to reach a first major domestic cup final since 1975. Marco Silva’s side led at Anfield in the first leg before conceding twice in three minutes to find themselves as outsiders to reach Wembley.

Silva has taken charge of 229 games in England across spells at Hull, Watford, Everton and Fulham. The 46-year-old also reached the Greek Cup final with Olympiacos in 2016, having won the Taca de Portugal with Sporting the season before.

But he admits the visit of Liverpool and the potential for a first-ever game as a manager at Wembley means tonight is one of the biggest nights of his managerial career in England.

“It is one of them, yes,” he said. “I did play a (League Cup) semi-final with Hull City as well against Manchester United but, if you ask me right now, I would prefer to have another more important one in one month’s time or two months’ time.”