James Pearce – The Empire of The Kop

James Pearce urges Klopp to consider using ‘brilliant’ teenager in Liverpool’s season run-in

Liam Togher — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:03:01 +0000

James Pearce has made the case for Jurgen Klopp to give one talented youngster at Liverpool some first-team minutes during the final month of the season.

A series of injuries to key players earlier this year led to Jayden Danns being called up to the senior side, with his four appearances including a substitute outing in the Carabao Cup final and two goals in the FA Cup win over Southampton.

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In an article for The Athletic in which he discussed the Reds’ ‘wayward finishing’ in recent games, the journalist called for the 18-year-old to be utilised off the bench as a possible solution to the team’s attacking woes of late.

Pearce wrote: “There is also an argument to be made that young Jayden Danns should be used as an impact sub. The teenager did not look out of place when used earlier in the campaign and scored a brilliant back-heel for the under-21s against Manchester United last Friday.”

Klopp has nothing to lose by trusting in Danns over the final few weeks of Liverpool’s season, especially at a time when several of our senior forwards are misfiring.

The teenager has shown that he can score at this level, and as Pearce referenced, his goal in the under-21’s victory over United last week was a thing of beauty.

The 18-year-old trained with the Reds’ squad today ahead of the Europa League clash against Atalanta on Thursday night, and imagine what an effective wildcard option he could be off the bench if we stage a revival after the 3-0 battering at Anfield six days ago.

Even if the tie gets away from us, it could be worth throwing Danns into the fray to give him further minutes with an eye to possibily utilising him across our final six Premier League matches of the campaign.

He came good a few weeks ago in Liverpool’s hour of need during the injury crisis. He deserves to be given another shot amid the ongoing fallow period in the final third for our senior attackers.

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‘Lack of conviction’ – James Pearce suggests £120k-p/w Liverpool ace has been way below his best

Liam Togher — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:37:48 +0000

James Pearce has voiced his concerns regarding the form of one Liverpool player in particular who he believes has endured something of a slump since the turn of the year.

Dominik Szoboszlai was the Reds’ most expensive signing of last summer’s transfer window at £60m, and a couple of show-stopping goals in his first few weeks at Anfield suggested that we’d landed a game-changing midfielder.

However, the Hungarian’s recent displays have come in for questioning, and The Athletic journalist feels that the 23-year-old hasn’t been at his best for some time.

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Speaking on the Walk On podcast in reviewing Liverpool’s defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday, Pearce said: “They just seemed to have lost their momentum. Szoboszlai came on for Wataru Endo but that didn’t really help them. He’s been completely unable to get anywhere near to the levels he hit before Christmas.

“There was a lack of belief in his game, the lack of conviction in getting a finish horribly wrong from the edge of the box.”

Of Szoboszlai’s seven goals for Liverpool, just three have come since Christmas, and two of those were in the Europa League round of 16 romp against Sparta Prague (Transfermarkt).

The £120,000-per-week midfielder had some positive notes to his appearance off the bench yesterday – he won four duels and played three key passes (Sofascore) – but with his only shot being the wayward attempt that Pearce referenced, he didn’t have the desired impact from an attacking point of view.

His display at Old Trafford the previous weekend, when he missed two ‘big chances’ and got only one of his five shots on target (Sofascore), illustrated that he’s lost the conviction that he was showing in the first half of the season.

Szoboszlai certainly isn’t the only Liverpool player to be struggling right now – he hasn’t really got back into his stride since the hamstring injury which sidelined him earlier this year – but we know that he’s capable of far better than what he’s produced lately.

Overall he can still be quite satisfied with his first campaign at Anfield, but hopefully he can quickly get back to being the mesmerising midfield genius that we witnessed last autumn. We need him to.

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Liverpool woes compounded as reliable journalist hints at potential big injury blow at Anfield

Liam Togher — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 12:11:11 +0000

Liverpool have already suffered more than their fair share of injury woe this season, and yet another body blow has emerged to compound a miserable week for the Reds.

The excruciating home defeat by Crystal Palace was worsened by the sight of Conor Bradley hobbling off the pitch early in the second half, and it appears to be more than just a knock that he can shake off.

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Speaking on the Walk On podcast, The Athletic’s reliable LFC correspondent James Pearce suggested that the 20-year-old’s campaign may have ended prematurely.

He said: “Then there was the sad sight of Conor Bradley hobbling off. It would be a surprise if we saw him again this season amid fears he may have damaged ankle ligaments.”

The one silver lining to Bradley’s injury is that the substitution which forced him off the pitch on Sunday also saw Trent Alexander-Arnold make his first appearance since mid-February, so the vice-captain’s return to action couldn’t have been better timed.

Just as Liverpool were getting several key players back, though – Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker also made their respective returns over the past week – along comes this latest body blow to make it a case of two steps forward and one backwards in terms of squad availability.

Although Trent’s comeback would likely have seen the Northern Ireland youngster assume a backup role for the rest of the campaign in any event, it’s still a setback for the 20-year-old and the squad as a whole to have a superb breakthrough season cut short so abruptly.

Jurgen Klopp will now be praying that the Reds’ number 66 won’t suffer any body blows of his own for the next few weeks, even with Joe Gomez capable of deputising at right-back if required.

We wish Bradley the very best in his recovery from his injury, and hopefully he’ll pick up where he left off when he’s next able to feature for Liverpool.

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Liverpool fans at Anfield showed classy touch after full-time last night despite Reds’ woes

Liam Togher — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:12:15 +0000

It was a chastening night for Liverpool at Anfield to say the least as Atalanta came to town and stunned us all with a thoroughly deserved 3-0 win.

There was a strangely subdued atmosphere at a stadium which is known for its raucous European nights, although the home fans who stayed until the bitter end showed a classy touch shortly after the full-time whistle.

As noted by James Pearce on X, the Reds supporters who were still in the ground recognised a magnificent performance from the away team by clapping them off the pitch in acknowledgement of how masterfully they played.

Atalanta players being applauded off by the home fans.

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) April 11, 2024

At many other English venues, such an abject performance from the home team would elicit deafening boos at the full-time whistle.

Although some jeering could be heard at Anfield, that was dwarfed by the recognition of Atalanta’s outstanding display, a classy touch that the visiting players and supporters would’ve surely appreciated.

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Even during some bleak times for the club in the past, it takes a lot for Liverpool fans to boo their own team, and it must be remembered that last night was our first home defeat in 14 months. That’d be a utopian scenario for almost everyone else in world football.

Rather than taking their frustrations out on a group of players who’s given us so many great memories in recent years, most of the Merseyside faithful preferred to acknowledge one of the best performances given by an away team in L4 for a long, long time.

Credit to those at Anfield who rightly applauded Atalanta’s efforts – Gian Piero Gasperini and co deserve every bit of praise they get for how they played on Thursday.

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Another exit: James Pearce shares another Liverpool contract set to end early

Farrell Keeling — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:06:48 +0000

The Liverpool exodus following in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s planned exit this summer has claimed another victim.

Andreas Schlumberger, the Reds’ head of recovery and performance, is set to join the German tactician in cutting his contract short.

The former Borussia Dortmund employee had just over a year left on his current terms though has agreed to cut his spell at Anfield short, according to James Pearce at The Athletic.

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How many members of staff are leaving Liverpool?

It remains to be seen what will come of other key members of the backroom staff, including the likes of Mona Nemmer and Andreas Kornmayer.

As of Tuesday, Klopp will be followed out of the exit door by Pep Lijnders, Peter Krawietz, Vitor Matos and, now, Schlumberger.

Vitor Matos (left) and Pep Lijnders (right) – (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Hopefully, we won’t see such an exodus reflected in the playing staff at Anfield!

We’ll be keeping a close eye on Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk – all of whom have contracts expiring in 2025.

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‘Senior club sources’ say: Liverpool insider breaks club’s reaction to Amorim agreement news

Farrell Keeling — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:43:17 +0000

The future of Ruben Amorim is hard to pin down amid competing versions of events in recent days.

The Athletic’s James Pearce has now pitched in with Liverpool’s view, sharing on X (formerly Twitter) that the Reds haven’t offered the Portuguese coach the job or secured a verbal agreement.

What other candidates are there?

— Tom Wells (@TomWells97) April 9, 2024

This follows Florian Plettenberg’s claim that the Merseysiders are further ahead in negotiations than has been reported elsewhere.

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Liverpool manager odds as of Tuesday

Who’s ready for some absolutely wild suggestions in Oddschecker’s latest batch of managerial candidate odds?

Amorim remains the favourite with 1/4, but Marcelo Bielsa (14/5) and Carlo Ancelotti (14/5) have since entered the fray.

Marcelo Bielsa – the most unlikely candidate yet? – (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Admittedly, only one provider has been willing to furnish fans with odds – either way, we’d take both suggestions with just a pinch of salt.

Far more likely by comparison are the candidates that follow in Roberto De Zerbi (7/2) and Julian Nagelsmann (49/10).

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Journalist says one Liverpool player was ‘miles off his best’ on Sunday; lost the ball 15 times

Liam Togher — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:08:31 +0000

Liverpool will have quite a few regrets over their failure to defeat Manchester United on Sunday, and a prominent journalist has named one member of Jurgen Klopp’s side who’ll have been ‘kicking himself’ over his performance.

Mo Salah rescued a point for the visitors after converting a late penalty, in the process becoming the player to have scored more Premier League goals against the Red Devils than anyone else. However, his overall display still came in for critiquing from James Pearce on the Walk On podcast after the match.

The Athletic journalist said of the Egyptian King: “I think, deep down, Salah will know he was a million miles off his best, especially with the amount of space and how vulnerable United are. He’ll be kicking himself that he didn’t do more damage to them.”

It may seem harsh to criticise the man who ultimately spared us from defeat at Old Trafford, and has once again been our most reliable goalscorer this season, but Salah was indeed well below his stratospheric best on Sunday.

As per Sofascore, he took six shots yesterday but only scored with one, while he lost four of his five duels, posted the second-lowest pass success rate of any Liverpool player (76%) and gave away possession 15 times, the joint-second most among Klopp’s side.

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He was culpable of missing one particularly inviting opportunity that he’d usually gobble up in his sleep, missing the target from close range after he followed up on a rebound from an initial Andre Onana save in the second half.

Salah may have a happy track record of scoring against United, and he came up clutch on Sunday when we really needed him, but his overall performance wasn’t anywhere close to what’d be considered his best.

That said, his incredible consistency in front of goal means that you’d fancy him to find the net in every single match that he plays, even if he’s having what some might label a quiet day.

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James Pearce shares news of potential Liverpool injury boost ahead of Man Utd clash

Liam Togher — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 14:49:06 +0000

James Pearce has shared some welcome news on the injury front for Liverpool ahead of the showdown against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Reds overcame Sheffield United on Thursday night without Wataru Endo, who picked up a knock in last weekend’s win over Brighton and duly missed the subsequent fixture at Anfield.

However, writing for The Athletic today, the reliable LFC correspondent reported that the Japanese midfielder is now ‘expected to return’ for the trip to Old Trafford in two days’ time.

As Pearce hinted in the same article, Endo’s projected return for the Manchester United game will most likely see him come back in for Ryan Gravenberch, who didn’t play anywhere near his best against the Blades last night.

The Japan captain has been excellent value for his £16m transfer fee during his first season at Liverpool, offering a tireless and commanding presence at the base of midfield, in the process freeing up Alexis Mac Allister to play further forward.

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That has duly unlocked the Argentine’s outrageous potential, as evidenced by a consistent streak of goal contributions in recent weeks, including that show-stopping strike against Sheffield United on Thursday.

The Reds have seven more fixtures coming up between now and 27 April, starting with the biggest of grudge matches away at Old Trafford this weekend, so Klopp will be desperate to have the strongest squad possible for that relentless run.

It’ll delight every Liverpool supporter to see Endo’s name on the team sheet on Sunday, should he be fit enough to come back into the line-up.

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James Pearce shares breaking Liverpool news the club has just announced

Farrell Keeling — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:30:54 +0000

Liverpool are now set to increase season tickets and members’ tickets for the 2024/25 campaign by 2%.

The Athletic’s James Pearce shared the update in question on X (formerly Twitter), with the club’s decision-making resulting from a 40% increase in annual operating costs.

That's fair tbh. 2% is not much at all.

— 19* 6* (@davyrug) April 5, 2024

The Merseysiders re-secured top spot in the Premier League following a dramatic 3-1 win over Sheffield United yesterday evening.

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A difficult decision for Liverpool

It’s an extremely hard decision for the club to get right – especially amidst a cost of living crisis.

The fact remains that modern clubs are increasingly running at a loss, so we can understand Liverpool taking action to try and keep costs down without completely leaving fans out of pocket.

Anfield prior to Liverpool’s Europa League meeting with Sparta Praha – (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

That said, it’s difficult to believe, in a world where matchday revenue is increasingly meaningless when determining the financial health of a football club, that there aren’t alternatives available to ensure that the culture of the side doesn’t fall prey to the ongoing commercialisation of the sport.

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Liverpool reporter hints at projected Alisson return date as Klopp’s injury list begins to clear

Liam Togher — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:45:49 +0000

Liverpool’s injury list is gradually beginning to clear somewhat after a torrid couple of months on that front.

Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai already returned to action before the international break, while Curtis Jones, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota could all be back over the next fortnight.

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Reporting for The Athletic on Thursday afternoon, James Pearce also signalled good news over Alisson Becker, who’s missed nearly two months with a hamstring injury.

Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper is eyeing a return for mid-April, which means he could potentially be back for the Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on the 14th of that month, or the Europa League quarter-final second leg away to Atalanta four days later.

When news of Alisson’s injury came to light just after the defeat to Arsenal in early February, amid Jurgen Klopp’s assertion that it was ‘rather serious’ (Evening Standard), Liverpool fans may have been banging their heads off the nearest wall in frustration.

Replacing one of the world’s best players in that position is no mean feat, but Caoimhin Kelleher has stepped up commendably over the past couple of months, most notably with a heroic performance in the Carabao Cup final triumph over Chelsea.

Indeed, the Irishman has performed to such a standard that the question has even been floated in some quarters as to whether he’ll keep his place in the team after the Brazil international is cleared to return.

As outstanding as the 25-year-old has been, it’s hard to imagine Klopp voluntarily leaving Alisson on the bench for the run-in to the season, except possibly for Liverpool’s Europa League fixtures.

In just a couple of weeks’ time, the Reds manager will be faced with one of the most pleasant selection headaches in English football when selecting between his main two goalkeepers. It may well have some of his Premier League peers looking on with deep envy.

Back with a bang: All to play for in April as Liverpool hope to line up glorious Klopp send-off

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James Pearce puts Liverpool fans’ worst fears to rest with lunchtime injury update on Robertson

Liam Togher — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:45:53 +0000

James Pearce has provided Liverpool fans with a hugely encouraging update on Andy Robertson’s injury this Thursday lunchtime.

The journalist shared the latest on the 30-year-old for The Athletic this afternoon, reporting that a scan on the ankle knock which forced him out of Scotland’s defeat to Northern Ireland on Tuesday night ‘showed no bone or ligament damage’.

As a result, the left-back could return within ‘days rather than weeks’; and while he remains doubtful to face Brighton a Sunday, he ‘should be back in contention’ for the Sheffield United clash next Thursday.

Liverpool fans everywhere will be breathing a massive sigh of relief that Robertson’s body blow seems to be only a short-term one.

Considering that the Scotland captain was sidelined for three months with a shoulder injury – which also occurred on international duty – Reds supporters may well have been fearing the worst when he hobbled off at Hampden Park a couple of nights ago.

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Thankfully, it seems that he’ll only miss one match for his club with the ankle problem, and Kostas Tsimikas is more than capable of filling the void for the viist of Brighton this coming weekend.

With a hectic month ahead between the Premier League title race and the Europa League charge, Liverpool will need Robertson – and indeed as many players as possible – fit and firing for the relentless run-in to the season.

Now let’s just cross our fingers that we’re not hit by any more major injury blows – goodness knows we’ve had more than our fair share of those over the past few months!

Back with a bang: All to play for in April as Liverpool hope to line up glorious Klopp send-off

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James Pearce: Liverpool Academy feared losing young player with limitless potential to Man City

Farrell Keeling — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 18:57:45 +0000

Jarrell Quansah might have been playing in very different colours on Sunday had trials with Manchester City persuaded him to join the Sky Blues.

Such was the fear of the Reds’ Academy staff, though such concerns would prove to be unfounded as the defender opted to sign for Liverpool instead as a young player.

“Quanash, who was a pupil at Locking Stumps Primary School, wasn’t short of offers. He spent time at clubs across the north west of England before officially signing for Liverpool at under-nines level,” James Pearce wrote for The Athletic.

“There was a period when their academy staff feared they would lose him to Manchester City.

“‘I went around different places to see what was out there: I did City, (Manchester) United, Wigan, Bolton… all of them,’ he says. ‘Back then, I was just playing and enjoying what I was doing. Any time I could play football, I was happy. My parents thought having more options would be better.

“‘I just remember Liverpool offering the best training. That was where I enjoyed my football the most and that’s why I stayed’.”

It’s a decision that has ultimately paid dividends for both player and club, with the 21-year-old entrusted with considerable first-team minutes this term (1,740).

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How good could Jarell Quansah be for Liverpool?

That depends entirely on how high Quansah’s ceiling is, though the early signs are more than promising.

“The sky is the limit, so he just has to stay humble and keep working hard and keep improving because there will be a lot of bumps along the road,” Virgil van Dijk said to both praise and warn his young teammate (via OneFootball).

If you’re looking for a barometer of where our No.78 is and where he could be in a few years’ time, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better indicator than his performance against Manchester City in a high stakes meeting.

Quansah played 90 minutes at Anfield against Manchester City – (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Whilst the defender hasn’t been flawless on every occasion, his performances have made a difference on some of the biggest stages.

He can take that to the bank now and live off the interest for at least the rest of the 2023/24 campaign.

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‘So good’: James Pearce has been very impressed with £1.2m Liverpool player v Southampton

Farrell Keeling — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:03:06 +0000

Jarell Quansah has been one of the great success stories of the 2023/24 campaign, as has been demonstrated once again with James Pearce’s latest tweet this evening.

The Athletic journalist praised the £1.19m-valued (according to Football Transfer’s valuation system) footballer’s latest performance in the FA Cup clash against Southampton on X (formerly Twitter).

Quansah so good again tonight

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) February 28, 2024

The Merseysiders lead 1-0 at the break, despite a superb start from the Saints, courtesy of Lewis Koumas’ first senior goal for the side.

What do the stats say?

We’d argue the stats don’t quite reflect just how calm a presence the 21-year-old has been in the backline this evening.

The Academy graduate has been incredibly reliable in possession, completing 96% of his passes (52/54), according to stats compiled by Sofascore.

Quansah celebrates with goalscorer Koumas – (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Quansah hasn’t made quite as many defensive contributions as centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk. Though, he has otherwise been pitch-perfect with his long passes against Southampton (3/3).

More of the same in the second-half please, Jarell!

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James Pearce clarifies Van Dijk comments amid fears of Liverpool player exodus

Farrell Keeling — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:25:07 +0000

The last news Liverpool fans wanted to hear was the possibility of Virgil van Dijk not committing to the next stage of the club’s evolution.

Whilst the Dutchman didn’t state he would be following Jurgen Klopp immediately out of the door once the 56-year-old departs at the end of the season, there was not total reassurance over his Anfield future.

Assessing the comments in question, James Pearce of The Athletic noted that the No.4 would merely be in the same boat as much of the playing squad in terms of wanting ‘clarity about the direction the club is going in’.

“The fact that their talismanic captain, who has been in outstanding form this season, stopped short of guaranteeing that he will be part of the new era is hardly surprising,” the reporter wrote. “There’s a lot of uncertainty currently with Liverpool needing to recruit a new sporting director, manager and coaching staff.”

Can you blame Van Dijk?

Much like Jurgen Klopp does not owe Liverpool fans a new contract extension, or even to fully commit to the expiration date of his current terms, our top stars do not owe their undying loyalty to the cause once the former Borussia Dortmund boss calls time on his Anfield career.

Yes, there is a fantastic structure in place for whomever next takes over the reins at L4.

However, Pearce is spot-on to highlight the uncertainty that will surely be lingering in the back of many a player’s mind.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract is also due to expire in 18 months – (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

What will come next for a club that has enjoyed significant success in recent years – owing in large part to the efforts of Klopp in the hotseat.

Will the club continue to move in the right direction if, say, Xabi Alonso or Ruben Amorim were to become the next head coach?

These are questions Van Dijk and Co. would be right to ask, especially in the context of contract renewals and the possibility of a superior sporting project elsewhere.

Hopefully, it won’t come to that.

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Liverpool fans will be devastated if latest hamstring injury is serious

Farrell Keeling — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 19:13:21 +0000

Curtis Jones’ potential injury was the sole blight on another important league win for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s men continue to demonstrate their title credentials.

The Englishman was subbed off in the second-half after indicating some discomfort with his hamstring, as James Pearce reported on X (formerly Twitter) this evening.

Curtis Jones heads straight down the tunnel after coming off. Had been indicating to his hamstring. Hopefully only minor.

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) January 21, 2024

The Academy graduate has been a vital figure for the Reds since his return to the first-team squad after a brief hiatus enforced by a three-game red card suspension and thigh difficulties.

The position’s firmly his

We do have solutions we could look to employ in the England youth international’s absence, potentially pushing Alexis Mac Allister onto the left of midfield and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the No.6 when back from injury.

Likewise, Ryan Gravenberch has been known to do a job when required in that particular space.

There’s no denying though that the 22-year-old has very much made that position his own in recent weeks and it would be a huge loss for the balance of this side to see him sidelined for a prolonged period.

Fingers-crossed it’s not a serious one!

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