Europa League: Opportunity calls for Liverpool youngster after key decision

Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark has been selected in their Europa League squad ahead of the start of the competition next week.

The Reds finished in fifth place last season which saw them miss out on the Champions League for the first time since 2016.

It still stands as the only competition that Jurgen Klopp has failed to win at the club, despite reaching a final in 2016.

This time around Liverpool are one of the favourites to claim the title and they boast a far stronger squad than the one they did in 2016 and it’s a squad that has space for the 18-year-old.

However, there isn’t space for Liverpool’s third goalkeeper in Adrian, who has been omitted from the squad with only 17 ‘List A’ spots available but he could be included if there is a freak injury to either Alisson Becker or Caoimhin Kelleher.

Clark has been with the England U19 side across the international break, playing 24 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Germany before starting in the win over Switzerland and he also recently managed a goal and two assists in the U21 Merseyside derby as the Reds came out as 4-0 winners.

He was also one of the main youngsters during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Asia, where he earned plenty of plaudits for his performances as he netted against Leicester during a 4-0 win, catching the eye with a smart finish and now he will get the chance to earn some minutes in Europe.

Liverpool face off in a highly favourable group against LASK, Toulouse and Union SG starting on September 21, and it’s likely Klopp’s side will the group’s qualification wrapped up before the final few games - which should allow more opportunities for Clark, and others, to step in.

Minutes in midfield will be restricted in general given the signings of Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, but there is likely to be minutes off the bench considering he was granted 66 minutes against Derby in the EFL Cup last season.

He has clearly improved since then and showed a real maturity during the summer tour, but how difficult will it be to steal minutes away from a packed midfield roster that Klopp has since built during the summer window remains to be seen.