Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has a number of injury concerns ahead of Wednesday’s FA Cup clash with Luton Town, with the Reds’ squad stretched to the limit.
Liverpool’s boss Jurgen Klopp might have to play untried youngster Trey Nyoni against Luton Town on Wednesday because he has so many injuries to contend with.
Klopp’s team romped to victory at Brentford on Saturday, with Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota combining for the first goal, which was expertly converted by the Uruguayan. But both were withdrawn with injury problems at half-time, which has given Klopp a tough choice to make ahead of two big matches.
The Reds face Luton in the Premier League on Wednesday evening before taking on Chelsea at Wembley in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. Jota is definitely ruled out of both matches after suffering a knee injury that will keep him out for “months”, according to Klopp, but Nunez might be back sooner.
Curtis Jones also came off injured against the Bees and there are worries about Mohamed Salah, who played the second half against Brentford but was the subject of reports in Egypt that suggested he had aggravated a previous hamstring problem. The mounting issues mean that Nyoni, who plays attack, might get to play this week as Klopp thinks about changing his team with half an eye on the Carabao Cup final four days later.
The Times says that Nyoni, who is just 16 and came from Leicester in 2023, is ready to play if needed. He was on the bench when Liverpool played Brentford at Anfield back in November and for both games of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham. Other young players who might play for the first time include Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns. They are both footballers’ sons – Koumas’ dad Jason was a Liverpool youth player and went on to represent Tranmere Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City, as well as becoming a Welsh international. Danns’ dad is Neil who played in the Premier League for Blackburn.
Neither youngster has played for the Liverpool first team this season, but Koumas was on the bench when they won against Burnley recently. Danns, meanwhile, has performed well for the under-18s team, scoring nine goals in nine league matches and three in the FA Youth Cup including two in a 7-1 win over Arsenal.
Speaking about the prospect of using his up-and-coming stars, Klopp told reporters: “We are where we are because of them. That’s how it is because the boys really delivered. We will see how many of them we have to use and [we] will give [them] the opportunity because obviously in a good moment they all can be in. That’s how it is.
“We have some options there, definitely – players who showed already what they can do like James [McConnell] or Bobby [Clark] and others even who didn’t feature yet who are in and around that. [Lewis] Koumas, [Jayden] Danns; massive talents. Trey [Nyoni], they are all massive talents. So, we will see what we will do, but [for] now we are just planning for tomorrow and from there we go.”
