Simon Mignolet will be handed his first start of the season as Jurgen Klopp vowed to field a “really strong” Liverpool team in the Carabao Cup.

The Reds begin the road to Wembley with a third round tie at home to Premier League rivals Chelsea on Wednesday.

Mignolet hasn't featured in a competitive game for the Reds since the 3-2 home FA Cup fourth round defeat to West Bromwich Albion on January 27.

And Klopp has confirmed the Belgian will replace £65million summer signing Alisson Becker between the sticks tomorrow.

“The only position I will confirm which we will change is Simon,” says Klopp. “Simon will start.

“The rest we have to wait until tomorrow. But it will be a good team, believe me.

“There's nothing else to say on which player has an opportunity. Each game is an opportunity.

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“But it will be a very good side that lines up tomorrow.”

Read everything Jurgen Klopp had to say in his press conference HERE

Napoli and Besiktas were among several clubs interested in signing Mignolet during the summer only for Liverpool to instead sell Danny Ward and let Loris Karius out on loan.

Mignolet admitted he found it “bizarre” that he wasn't allowed to leave, but of the Belgian's subsequent reaction, Klopp said: “Simon has been brilliant.

“It's how you can imagine it. The (summer) transfer window is one of two moments when you can make a decision about going somewhere or bringing a player in.

“Simon would have been ready to go to another club in the world to be number one, but we couldn't do it.

“Since then he has been brilliant, he has trained fantastic. It's all good. He deserves the game tomorrow and I'm very happy to give him that opportunity.”

The likes of Fabinho, Naby Keita, Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge are all vying for a start, although Klopp has refused to give any clues regarding his line-up.

But the Reds boss admits there won't be wholesale changes against Chelsea.

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“I don't think I am going to get any information until tomorrow about the line-up of Chelsea,” he said. “Why should I give any?

“We are really competitive, we really want to win that game.

“I have to make decisions, and it will be a really strong side. I won't even name the number of changes, it will not be the maximum and it will be the minimum.

“One I have already confirmed, so it cannot be nil. And will for sure not be 11. We will have a good team.”

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Virgil van Dijk is a doubt with the rib problem that forced him off during the second half of Saturday's 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton, but Dejan Lovren could be considered for a first outing of the season after returning to full training following a stomach complaint.

Divock Origi and Adam Lallana remain sidelined but Dominic Solanke is back available having suffered concussion.