Slot's Liverpool rotation comments could give Saints Carabao Cup hope

Slot also accepted he let his emotions get the better of him at the weekend but is hopeful his touchline ban will not have a major impact.

Slot must sit out of Wednesday’s cup quarter-final after collecting a third booking of the season in the 2-2 draw against Fulham on Saturday.

And the Dutchman has hinted that he will rotate his side heavily to face bottom of the Premier League Saints, as he watches on from the stands.

Ahead of the match, Slot said: "We have a few other young players that have made a good impact in our training sessions until now.

Arne Slot's Liverpool side won 3-2 at St Mary's last month (Image: PA)

"We have also used them already in the Carabao Cup. I am aware of the fact that we have only four defenders fit and available.

"Probably the ones that have started a lot of times will not play 90 minutes for sure and maybe not even at all," he added.

"It's going to be either academy players that are going to get time or it's going to be players that nobody would expect to see in the last line that are going to play.

"That is, for me, also the positive thing about the League Cup because like you've seen until now, we haven't played with many starters yet.

"It's mostly been games where the ones who haven't played that much started the game. That's really important. For the likes of Wata Endo, for example.

Slot is set to rest some of his regular starters for the tie as he looks ahead to the Premier League leaders’ trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Diogo Jota, who scored as a substitute on his return from injury against Fulham, will also not start having not trained on Monday.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher will return in goal having recently impressed while deputising for Alisson Becker and defender Kostas Tsimikas is nearing a return.

Tsimikas could replace the suspended Andy Robertson if he proves his fitness and Alexis Mac Allister is back from a ban.

And Slot labelled the sacking of former Saints manager Russell Martin "a pity", adding: "Maybe it's a good moment where we talk about referee decisions.

"These things happen, and Russell Martin has done so well last season at Southampton, this season again they play good football, we've experienced this.

"You always feel sorry if a manager doesn't get the chance to continue but unfortunately they weren't able to get enough points and then managers get sacked."