With captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate both given the night off, the young Italian was handed a start in central defence alongside Joe Gomez. However, Leoni’s debut was cut short after 81 minutes following an awkward landing after a challenge on the touchline.

After the match, Hugo Ekitike apologized for his action on Instagram. "I was so excited tonight to have helped the team secure another victory here at our home for my first Caraba

Liverpool had to battle to earn a 2-1 win over Southampton in the Carabao Cup third round.Arne Slot heaped praise on the endeavour that Federico Chiesa showed as he engineered Liverpool to victory over Southampton.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has updated supporters on the injury sustained to Giovanni Leoni during the Reds' win over Southampton.

Expect more rotation at Anfield this season after the Dutch coach was stung by last season's European exit to PSG

Having seen off Atletico Madrid and Everton in the Champions League and Premier League respectively, the focus has switched to the beginning of the Reds’ Carabao Cup journey for 2025/26 as they aim to reach the final for the third year in a row and win the trophy for the third time in five years.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot found Turf Moor an unwelcoming place on Sunday, where hosts Burnley battened down the hatches and frustrated the Premier League champions until very late.

Liverpool have been told to forget any hope of signing Adam Wharton in January, though the midfielder is just one of four top targets on Arne Slot's radar.