Jurgen Klopp has had to get creative to assemble a squad ahead of Sunday’s clash with Leicester.
With ten possible injuries heading into the Anfield blockbuster, the German has used the international break to assess his options.
Reports on Thursday claimed that eight academy players had been drafted in for first-team training and given a chance to make the squad that was scrapped amid the testing schedule.
But who are the players in question? What chance do they have of making the cut? And how do they take their coffee?
You’ve covered 90 minutes.
One of a handful of talented young keepers in Liverpool’s youth ranks, Jarvis has made quite an impression since arriving from Sparta Prague in 2017.
He began his career at Melwood under Steven Gerrard and soon broke into the under-23 squad despite still being a teenager. He was rewarded for his promotion with a new long-term deal in July and is backed for a big future after Allison’s reign ends.
However, don’t expect to see much/any of it this season.
It is perhaps understandable that the signing of the 17-year-old keeper in October was quickly swept under the carpet, given the chaos that was engulfing the club at the time.
Pitaluga, however, comes very, very, very high ranking. He was on the fringes of the first-team picture at Fluminense before being brought to Anfield, where he was thrown straight into first-team training.
A former Under-17 World Cup winner with Brazil, the flamboyant Petaluga has caught the eye with his distribution and composure with the ball at his feet. He also has a German passport, which is always good news for work permit purposes.
The Polish keeper, whose name you’ll probably have to google before you learn to pronounce it, has been a fixture of the Under-18 team since his 2019 arrival.
He is well-known for Klopp after spending last pre-season on tour with the first-team squad, and while he may be a wild card among emerging keepers, he remains one to keep a close eye on. .
Billy Cometeau was scheduled to return to training today. [@JamesPearceLFC] pic.twitter.com/VkMnhoz1Gd
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) October 28, 2020
If you’ve ever heard Klopp make a passing reference to ‘Billy the Kid’ in a press conference, chances are it’s not about the infamous 19th-century outlaw, but the French defender who He must have already made his mark for the first time. The team if not for injuries.
Standing at 6ft 4in, the 18-year-old matches Virgil van Dijk, according to James Pearce, and has already made a lasting impression on Liverpool’s established stars.
He was ahead of the likes of Nate Phillips and Rhys Williams in the pecking order, having featured heavily in the pre-season before injury took him out of contention. Now, it looks like his long-awaited opportunity may be around the corner.
Clarkson could be a successor to Fabinho or Thiago / Gareth Copley / Getty Images
The Liverpool Echo have pegged Clarkson as Fabinho’s long-term successor, so it makes sense that the Brazilian has been ruled out of the position for the foreseeable future, with Klopp and his coaching team watching closely. Is.
The 19-year-old is regularly called up for first-team training when things break out and has already made two first-team appearances – in last season’s cup ties with Aston Villa and Shrewsbury. He also scored in a friendly against Blackburn Rovers just before the Premier League resumed.
He differs from the Reds’ current midfield options, coming closer to Thiago in terms of skill than anyone else, and is believed to be a favorite of assistant manager Pep Legends.
“It just keeps the standards very high.” ?
With the first team alongside the academy at the new @AXA training centre, Jack Keane knows the development of young players will be watched even more closely by Klopp and his staff…?
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 19, 2020
A Liverpool player since he was nine, Wigan-born Kane brings a number of unique qualities to the table. Primarily an attacking midfielder, he can play anywhere in the midfield or forward lines, and stands out with his excellent left foot.
The 19-year-old has formed a formidable midfield trio alongside Clarkson and Curtis Jones in the Under-23 side and is not seen far behind the latter in his development. It explains why he has been on the bench for every Champions League game so far this season.
Louis Longstaff has signed a new contract with Liverpool.
The academy player, who made his first team debut in a Carabao Cup game against Aston Villa, has signed a new contract until 2022. pic.twitter.com/knTRwBZft6
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) June 12, 2020
Liverpool signed Longstaff from Newcastle in 2015, but it’s just a coincidence that he shares a name with midfield duo Shaun and Matty.
The Darlington native has been described by Liverpool as an ‘exciting winger’ despite suffering in last season’s 5-0 EFL Cup defeat to Aston Villa, and has modeled his game on Roberto Firmino.
“I look at Firmino and he’s a player I take a lot of inspiration from,” he said earlier. “I’ve tried to make my game the way he plays. I’ve trained with him a couple of times and when you get a chance to go out there, you just have to watch those guys. It depends on who plays in your position.”
Glatzel has had a rough time of it but looks to be on the verge of bouncing back / James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images
Of all the promising talents here, Glatzel’s promise is the most easily quantifiable. You only need to look at his ridiculous strike rate at youth level – 28 goals in the 2018/19 season said it all before injury derailed his 2019/20.
We’ll leave Jordan Henderson, who spoke to the club’s program in July, to sell the rest.
“I don’t want to dwell on Paul’s setbacks because I’m sure everyone knows he was unlucky,” Henderson said. “But a player is defined by how he reacts to those knocks.” And Paul has the mentality that tells us all that he is going to have a great career.
“He loves to score goals and it’s magic to see him back in training and looking sharp.
“Paul epitomizes the attitude and character that is required. He is an example to many young players. He has never felt sorry for himself, determined to make sure he is the best he can be. is, and he works as hard as any player. I’ve ever seen myself given the opportunity to fulfill my potential.
“I hope Paul is as proud of himself for how he handled his setbacks as we are of him.”