Arne Slot Already Hinted at Featuring Four Liverpool Youngsters Against Plymouth Argyle
Liverpool may include four players in their squad for the FA Cup fourth-round clash against struggling Championship side Plymouth Argyle.
Arne Slot is set to make significant changes when Liverpool travel to Home Park for their FA Cup fourth-round encounter.
The Reds embark on a long journey to Devon amid a packed fixture list. The match falls between a dominant 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, which secured their place in the Carabao Cup final, and a crucial Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening.
With Liverpool leading the Premier League table by six points, this fixture provides a rare opportunity to rest several key players.
Captain Virgil van Dijk, star forward Mo Salah, and midfield anchor Ryan Gravenberch are expected to be left out of the starting eleven and could even be given the night off completely.
Fringe players such as Wataru Endo, Jarell Quansah, and Harvey Elliott are likely to feature, while Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota could also be included, having recently returned from injury.
If Slot decides to leave many of his regular starters out of the squad altogether, young talents may be given a chance to impress.
Hint Dropped
A look at the players who featured for Liverpool’s under-21 and under-18 teams on Saturday suggests that some of the club’s promising young talents could be involved. James McConnell was not sent out on loan during the winter transfer window after catching the eye of Arne Slot. The 20-year-old midfielder delivered an impressive performance in last week’s 3-2 Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
McConnell was absent from the under-21s’ 1-1 draw against Southampton. Given his progress, it would not be surprising if the former Sunderland youngster starts against Plymouth.
Meanwhile, neither Trey Nyoni nor Amara Nallo played in the under-21s’ match against Southampton or the under-18s’ 2-2 draw with Manchester United at the AXA Training Centre.
Nyoni, 18, impressed during pre-season and has already made four senior appearances this season, including a full debut in Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Southampton.
Nallo, who made his debut against PSV, was sent off less than four minutes after coming on for a professional foul but remains highly rated by the club’s coaching staff.
Ngumoha Possibility
Many supporters will be eager to catch a glimpse of Rio Ngumoha, who was also absent from both age-group matches. The winger was recruited from Chelsea’s academy last summer, a move that reportedly infuriated officials at Stamford Bridge, as he was regarded as one of their most promising talents. The 16-year-old opted for Anfield, believing it offered a clearer route to the first team.
Ngumoha has impressed for Liverpool’s under-19s in the UEFA Youth League and, despite his young age, has trained with the senior squad on multiple occasions.
His talent and the confidence both the club and Arne Slot have in him were evident when he was handed his full debut in last month’s 4-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Accrington Stanley. Facing experienced Football League players, he played with courage and composure throughout his 72-minute appearance.
On his performance, head coach Slot said: “Every time (Ngumoha) comes to train with us we see what his qualities are. He can dominate one-v-one situations, he’s very quick on his feet, he can change direction really fast.
“The fans liked what they saw, you could feel this in the stadium … special day for him, making a debut, win. He will sleep well tonight.”
In other news, Arne Slot Could ‘Offload’ Two Liverpool Players in Overhaul of Attack as Midfielder Suffers Injury Setback
