The path from youth team football to a professional career is a treacherous one. There are so many factors involved in making the transition, not least luck in terms of fitness and the possibility of first-team opportunities. Talent alone is never enough.
With Liverpool deep into the most densely scheduled season they’ve ever known, directly on the back of a 63-game quadruple bid, it is inevitable some of their young starlets will feature in the Carabao Cup clash with Derby County on Wednesday evening. It could be the perfect chance for some of them to stake a claim for further playing time should the Reds prevail and reach the next round.
Assistant manager Pep Lijnders held the pre-match press conference but remained tight lipped in terms of which youngsters might be involved. However, it did seem clear that some will definitely be taking part in the match. "We have to trust the young talent. They never let us down,” he said, adding: “We are going to see Scousers hopefully. Imagine a Scouser scoring in front of the Kop."
