Liverpool have received an encouraging update on Florian Wirtz ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Chelsea, with Andoni Iraola optimistic the midfielder will be available despite his ankle problem.

Wirtz was forced off during Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Brighton after twisting his ankle, prompting concern over his availability for a demanding week at Anfield. Liverpool host Chelsea in the fourth round before welcoming Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Iraola offered some reassurance when discussing the Germany international’s fitness on Tuesday, although he stopped short of confirming his involvement.

“I don’t think I can help you a lot, we still have to wait, we train later and we want to win this last day.

“He was quite fine, Florian. I’m quite optimistic he will be available.”

The Liverpool head coach was less certain when asked about Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Muñoz, both of whom have been working their way back from injury.

“Dom and Victor, I’m not so sure. I don’t want to say no, but I think it’s going to be more difficult than Florian.”

The update leaves Wirtz with the clearest route back into contention for the Chelsea tie, although Liverpool will still need to assess him in training before making a final decision.

Liverpool will welcome the prospect of having Wirtz available after his contribution to the Brighton victory, in which his effort led to Pascal Groß putting through his own net for the opening goal.

There is, however, a wider consideration than simply whether the midfielder can return after a few days of recovery.

Wirtz said after Sunday’s match that he was optimistic the ankle problem was not serious, but also revealed he had twisted it several times in recent weeks. That makes Liverpool’s assessment particularly important as they navigate another congested spell of fixtures.

Chelsea represent a significant test in a knockout competition, with victory required to reach the quarter-finals. Arsenal then provide another demanding challenge in the Premier League, meaning Iraola must balance the immediate importance of Wednesday’s tie against the need to keep his key players available.

The manager’s comments suggest Liverpool are hopeful rather than certain over Wirtz. His availability will depend on how he responds to training, and the club will be wary of taking unnecessary risks with a player who has already experienced repeated discomfort around the ankle.

Whatever the final team selection, Liverpool will not field an unchanged side against Chelsea.

Iraola confirmed that rotation would continue, describing it as “almost mandatory” for teams playing every three days across domestic and European competitions.

“There will definitely be changes, but we want to win the game, we want to be competitive.

“We need to see how the legs are. We are – not just in the Carabao Cup, also in the Champions League – trying to make some changes from game to game, because I think it’s almost mandatory.”

Liverpool have regularly altered their starting line-up during this busy period, and Wednesday’s cup tie offers an opportunity to involve players who have had fewer minutes.

But Iraola made clear that rotation should not be mistaken for a lack of ambition. Liverpool want to progress, despite facing Premier League opposition earlier than they would have hoped.

“We want to be in the next round, we’ve been unlucky in the draw, we are playing Chelsea – they’ve been unlucky also – but we want to earn the right to be in the draw again.

“That only happens if you win.”

The extent of the changes will depend partly on the fitness assessments of Wirtz, Szoboszlai and Muñoz. For now, the outlook is most positive for Wirtz, but Liverpool must wait until after training before his involvement against Chelsea can be determined.