Danny Murphy has urged Jurgen Klopp to keep faith in one Liverpool player in particular for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
The Reds had a very young line-up for the 4-1 win over Luton last night amid a spate of injuries, with Conor Bradley among the fledgling talents called upon by the German.
The 20-year-old – who scored his first senior LFC goal against Chelsea during a man-of-the-match display three weeks ago – has been one of our most consistent players in the early weeks of 2024, and one former Anfield midfielder wants to see him start at Wembley.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Murphy said: “I think [Andy] Robertson will come back in. I think [Klopp] will have to make a decision on [Joe] Gomez at right-back or if he sticks with Conor Bradley in there.
“I’d play the young lad. Go after Chelsea, they’re more in fear of you than you are of them. He was just man of the match against Chelsea. Let him go again.”
It’s a testament to the depth of Liverpool’s squad that, even amid their current injury crisis, Klopp still has some enviable selection dilemmas to ponder for the Carabao Cup final – assuming there are no further additions to the casualty list before then.
Gomez started at left-back last night before switching to the opposite flank once Robertson was brought on in place of Bradley midway through the second half, and all three players could justifiably feel confident of starting against Chelsea on Sunday.
However, unless the Englishman is deployed at centre-back (which seems unlikely), one of that trio will have to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench at Wembley.
Murphy is right to plead the case for the Northern Ireland youngster, who ran Mauricio Pochettino’s side ragged in the 4-1 win at Anfield at the end of January and has slotted back into the team commendably upon his return to action following the death of his father earlier this month.
Liverpool fans would likely be pleased with any full-back combination that Klopp selects on Sunday, and the Tyrone native – who the manager recently dubbed a ‘wonderful kid‘ – has certainly done more than enough to justify his selection if he’s retained in the starting XI for the cup final.
#Ep102 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️
No brainer for me. Gomez on the left. Bradley on the right. Robbo on the bench.
Thankfully I am not in charge, what a decision to have to make!
We will be defensively more solid and we need to be, if Alisson continues to be absent.
I fully agree. We are more vulnerable with Trent and Robo at the back. They need to learn that their 1st priority is to defend.
play fit and on form players. What’s the point of playing fit but no form or unfit players. Robertson didn’t bring the house down with his display.
Don’t dis kellleher ,