ADAM Lallana believes that progressing in the Carabao Cup is the club’s priority ahead of their game against Leicester City.

Albion will take on the Foxes on Wednesday and will be hoping to earn a spot in the quarter-finals before taking on Lallana’s former club Liverpool on Saturday.

And the midfielder says the trip to the King Power Stadium offers Albion an opportunity to showcase the squad’s strength in depth.

The 33-year-old said: “We have a squad that is desperate to play, and we have an important game on Wednesday which will give players an opportunity.

“If you look at the impact from the bench on Saturday it showed the depth we have. Tariq Lamptey was awesome, Enock [Mwepu] won us the penalty, and Alexis [Mac Allister] scored it and made a real impact. They all did really well.

“We have got some good characters in our squad, and they want minutes on the pitch so they can make forward steps. I’m sure they will get them on Wednesday.”

Whether Lallana is involved at Leicester is up to manager Graham Potter, but the midfielder is looking forward to his emotional return to Anfield on Saturday, 18 months after he left the club as a Premier League champion.

He said: “It was a sad way to leave because there was Covid and didn’t get to have a final game at Anfield with the fans. We were the champions but lifted the trophy in an empty stadium.

“I’d be lying if I said I’m not looking forward to going back there. It will be special, I made lots of friends, and we achieved greatness together.

“I obviously want to go back there and win, but we have an important game on Wednesday against Leicester first, and it will be great to go through to the next round of the Carabao Cup.”

Lallana spent six seasons with Liverpool between 2014 and 2020, playing 128 times and scoring 18 goals for the club. In that time he won the Premier League and Champions League as well as the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.