Liverpool have loaned out a number of their younger stars meaning Arne Slot has a smaller squad to pick from for the Carabao Cup match at Brighton
It was perhaps the perfect encapsulation of the Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool and justification for how the League Cup has been treated by the club in recent years. When the Reds claimed a memorable Wembley win over Chelsea back in February, eight of the 20-man squad were Academy graduates with six featuring in the 1-0 triumph.
But as Liverpool look to continue their defence of the trophy at Brighton on Wednesday evening, the representation from Kirkby is likely to be limited despite the growing injury problems among the senior squad.
Some, such as midfielder James McConnell and striker Jayden Danns – who both played in the final – are recovering from injury, while Bobby Clark left in the summer for Red Bull Salzburg on a permanent deal.
Most, though, are out on loan. Stefan Bajcetic is another to have joined up with former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders in Austria, while forwards Ben Doak, Kaide Gordon and Lewis Koumas are impressing in the Championship with Middlesbrough, Norwich City and Stoke City respectively.
All would have been in contention for minutes on the South Coast, with Slot pointing to the difficult balance Liverpool and other leading clubs face over whether to keep Academy prospects in and around the squad or to temporarily further their development elsewhere.
In certain situations you’d prefer to keep them here because then they can training with you and you can implement in the best possible way your playing style, but if that means they hardly play then it doesn’t lead to the progression you are hoping for,” says the Reds coach. “That is the balance we always try to find.
Some players we let on loan, Stefan Bajcetic is a good example of that, then you hope to see he plays a lot and has already played a few games. It’s pleasing that he went to a very good manager in Pepijn Lijnders that knows this club also. For Ben Doak it is similar (at Middlesbrough), he also went to a very good manager and a very good playing style.
Do we want to play them on a regular basis, or once in a while keeping them with us? We have to be aware of our own interests, we can’t let everyone go who doesn’t play all the time.
“Tyler Morton is a good example of that. He is a quality, quality player, good enough to play everywhere around the league, but is in competition with so many good midfielders here.
We have six forwards, two of them are injured and only have four left, with the schedule we have, that’s sometimes a worry for me. Maybe we should bring Ben Doak back!”
