Overview
- Liverpool vs Southampton kicks off at 8:00 p.m. BST at Anfield, while Lincoln City vs Chelsea starts at 7:45 p.m. BST at Sincil Bank.
- Arne Slot has confirmed wholesale Liverpool changes, resting Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili widely expected to make his debut.
- An EFL Rule 6.4 change allows players to represent two clubs in the competition under set conditions, making Southampton’s recent signing Tom Fellows eligible after appearing earlier for West Brom.
- Chelsea travel after back‑to‑back defeats, with Enzo Maresca offering a positive but cautious update on Cole Palmer’s groin issue and explaining that Alejandro Garnacho stayed on the bench at Manchester United due to a late defensive substitution for Wesley Fofana.
- In the UK, Liverpool vs Southampton is available on ITV1/ITVX and Sky Sports (including Sky Sports+), and Lincoln City vs Chelsea is on Sky Sports; ESPN lists Paramount+ for U.S. viewers and other regional partners internationally.