Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may hand a debut to 16-year old Ki-Jana Hoever in Monday night's FA Cup tie at Wolves, after the defender caught his eye during recent training sessions.
Many expect Klopp to ring the changes for this game, with the club recently coming through a very busy festive period. The Premier League will no doubt be the German's priority, and he may choose to rest a number of first teams regulars for the visit to Molineux.
With Nathaniel Clyne recently departed to Bournemouth and Joe Gomez still on the treatment table, what Klopp chooses to do with the right back position if Alexander-Arnold is omitted is something to keep an eye on. Fabinho and James Milner can both fill in there, but another option has emerged.
“He’s an incredibly confident young fella and he is really a good player on top, so that’s nice."
Klopp on the latest Academy prospect to be involved in the Melwood set-up...— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 5, 2019
The Liverpool boss has been extremely impressed with 16-year old Hoever's progress in first team training, and suggested he could make his debut in the game:
He is one for the future of course, but what we will do with him now I don't know.
He is 16, turns 17 in a few days. If Joel and Joe would have been fit all of the time, then probably Ki-Jana wouldn't have been in training with the first team, but he was in and is still in.
It is just a joy to watch him. He is an incredible, confident young fella and is really a good player on top of that. It's nice we can see him day in, day out. It's really cool...
It's a nice prospect for the next months and years. Wolves? I don't know, we will see.
With Liverpool in pursuit of a first league title in almost 29 years, any injuries to key personnel could prove disastrous. While the club would no doubt win a trophy of some sort this season, the FA Cup is likely to put on the back burner.
That will leave the door open for Wolves, who should be taking the competition very seriously this season. With their place in the Premier League all but assured already, a cup run could top off what has been a very impressive showing from Nuno Espirito Santo's men thus far.
