New 17-year-old spotted in Liverpool training ahead of Galatasaray as Alexander Isak makes appearance
Things spotted from Liverpool training ahead of the Champions League last 16 second leg against Galatasaray.
Liverpool have been put through their paces ahead of their crucial Champions League showdown against Galatasaray on Wednesday.
The Reds head into the last-16 second leg trailing by 1-0 on aggregate following last week’s defeat in Istanbul. And after a 1-1 draw with debilitated Tottenham Hotspur last time out, the pressure has again grown in head coach Arne Slot.
Failure to overturn the deficit and exit the Champions League and there will be even more scrutiny on Slot’s future despite delivering the Premier League title last season.
Liverpool held an opening training session today and there was one player missing from the squad that was held to a stalemate against Spurs. Joe Gomez was not involved in the session at the AXA Training Centre, having featured for 90 minutes in the Tottenham clash. It could be a case that Liverpool are managing Gomez’s minutes given his fitness issues this campaign and in recent years. The defender also played full games in the first leg against Galatasaray and the 3-1 FA Cup win at Wolves.
Slot will hold a press conference later today where he will likely provide an update on Gomez’s omission.
Alexander Isak was spotted running before going inside when his team-mates came out to undergo their session. Isak has been unavailable for three months as he recovers from a broken leg.
Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined along with youngsters Jayden Danns and Stefan Bajcetic. Danns made a comeback from a hamstring injury in the under-21s’ 2-0 loss at Manchester City last night but was withdrawn in the 29th minute clutching the back of his leg.
Meanwhile, Calvin Ramsay is ineligible because he hasn’t been named in Liverpool’s UEFA squad. Ramsay played for the under-21s against City at the Joie Stadium as well as Kieran Morrison, who could be on the bench against Galatasaray.
Along with Rio Ngumoha, who made his full Premier League against Spurs, and Trey Nyoni, there were three other youngsters who supplemented Slot’s squad. Winger Joe Bradshaw, 17, was involved along with 19-year-old pair Kareem Ahmed and Lucas Pitt. Bradshaw has scored nine goals in eight league appearances for the under-18s this campaign, as well as playing for the under-21s on nine occasions.