Arne Slot could hand Liverpool debut to 18-year-old who is a 'Rolls Royce' and has 'great left foot'

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Liverpool are likely to shuffle their defence for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton.

The absences from Liverpool under-21s’ 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace were quickly spotted yesterday afternoon.

With the Reds facing Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals amid a hectic fixture schedule, Arne Slot has decisions to make. When it comes to the competitions Liverpool are in, the Premier League and Champions League the the priority. The FA Cup, which starts against Accrington Stanley next month, is third.

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While the Reds may have won the Carabao Cup a record 10 times and are the current holders, it is down the pecking order. It’s why fans won’t be too concerned if Arne Slot rings the changes against Southampton on Wednesday evening. Maintaining a title assault is imperative. With the festive schedule approaching, Slot must ensure his key players are in pinnacle condition.

Given the paucity of defenders available, changes to the back four will likely be made. Ibrahima Konate (knee), Conor Bradley (hamstring) and Kostas Tsimikas remain injured while Andy Robertson is suspended after his red card in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Fulham.

Slot has only four defenders available and you would surmise he will want to rest at least two of them. Virgil van Dijk has been ever-present in the Premier League and Champions League. He has been the bedrock of the team but is aged 33 and must be managed. Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, is the only full-back available and recently recovered from a hamstring complaint.

Jarell Quansah has had limited game-time this term after an outstanding breakthrough 2023-24 campaign and is poised to feature. While Joe Gomez has been Van Dijk’s regular partner during Konate’s absence, he may be fresh enough to continue - and could well be named captain.

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But given the players missing from the under-21s’ entertaining six-goal encounter with Palace, it may be a hint that Slot could hand out a debut to Amara Nallo. The 18-year-old has made eye-catching progress since arriving from West Ham United in the summer of 2023. Nallo made 23 appearances last season, the majority being for the under-21s despite being of first-year scholarship age.

This term, the centre-back has played 16 times so far, netting twice. With Liverpool back in the UEFA Youth League, he has captained the under-19s in five of their six matches. The England youth international was also on the bench for a 3-3 draw at Newcastle United earlier this month - and could now be ready to make his Reds bow.

Speaking previously on Nallo, West Ham youth coach Carlton Cole told whufc.com: “I would describe Amara as a Rolls Royce of a centre-back. He has a great left foot and is elegant when he moves with the ball. He can play the ball with both feet and has been working on his heading as well. He’s a player who has a high ceiling.”

On the left-hand side of the rearguard, with Robertson and Tsimikas unavailable, it could be an opportunity for James Norris to be handed a full debut. Norris, 21, has trained with Slot’s squad regularly and was among the substitutes for last week’s 1-0 win over Girona. Norris has already made his Reds bow, coming in the 5-0 loss to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup in 2019. Liverpool’s first-team squad were competing in the Club World Cup at the time.

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However, Trey Nyoni may have to wait for his first Liverpool start. The midfielder is highly regarded, making his debut aged 16 in the Reds’ 3-0 win over Southampton in the FA Cup last term. Nyoni caught the eye during pre-season and has largely spent the campaign rubbing shoulders with Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Co. at the AXA Training Centre. The 17-year-old also impressed during his cameo in a 3-2 win at Brighton in the previous round of the Carabao Cup.

Yet unlike at the back, Slot is afforded options in the engine room. Alexis Mac Allister returns after missing the past two games through suspension, while Wataru Endo requires game time. So too does Harvey Elliott, having been absent for almost three months with a fractured foot.

Jayden Danns was another omitted for the under-21s’ game. Danns memorably fired a double in the FA Cup victory against Southampton last term but has only recently recovered from a back injury. He could travel to the south coast but Slot will likely want Diogo Jota - who scored on his return from a rib issue to rescue a point against Fulham - and Federico Chiesa to get minutes. Darwin Nunez came off the bench against Fulham and could see the tie as a confidence booster.

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