‘Hopefully I get a runout’ – Liverpool gem sends pointed message to Slot ahead of FA Cup clash
There’s likely to be a much-changed Liverpool starting XI for this afternoon’s FA Cup third round clash against Accrington Stanley.
It’ll be the Reds’ third match in seven days, with a Premier League double header to come over the next week, so Arne Slot will almost certainly rotate his line-up substantially, particularly at home to a team sitting 19th in League Two.
Among those who look set to come into the side is Conor Bradley, who’s started every Carabao Cup match for which he’s been available this season and who’s eager to make up for lost time after his recent hamstring injury.
Bradley eyeing Liverpool start v Accrington
The Northern Ireland international spoke with the official Liverpool FC website on Friday ahead of today’s FA Cup clash, and he’s taken the opportunity to send a pointed message to his boss when it comes to selecting the starting line-up against Accrington.
The 21-year-old said: “I’m really happy to be back. Obviously it was unfortunate to get the injury whenever I did, I felt like I was in a good moment, especially after the Real Madrid game, but I’ve worked hard, got myself back fit and I’m happy to have played the last two games. Hopefully I get a runout tomorrow as well.
“It’s tough whenever you’ve been out for so long – six weeks. It is tough to just get the rhythm back and get back to playing, but I’m really enjoying being back. Obviously I missed it loads for the time I was out, so really happy to be back.
“There’s still loads of games to play this year, so I’m sure there’ll be plenty of opportunities to get a chance to play. I’ve just got to keep going now and keep working hard.”
Opportunity knocks for several Liverpool players today
Although he started against Tottenham in midweek, Bradley was withdrawn after an hour of that game, which may have been a pre-planned substitution by Slot with today’s fixture in mind.
It seems likely that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be kept fresh for the crucial Premier League trip to red-hot Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, and with his right-back deputy needing minutes to build up match fitness, it’d make perfect sense for our number 84 to start this afternoon.
Several other Liverpool players who haven’t featured much this season could come into the starting XI against Accrington, with this being an ideal fixture to hand some welcome game-time to the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa.
Academy talents such as Amara Nallo, Trey Nyoni and the highly-rated Rio Ngumoha could also be handed minutes, with Slot bound to shuffle the pack amid a hectic schedule for the Reds.
For many of those set to get the call today, it may well be viewed as an audition for more regular minutes in the starting line-up, so let’s hope those who feature will make the most of their opportunity and give the head coach food for thought with subsequent matches.
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