Newcastle United at home would be the ideal time to hand Rhian Brewster his senior debut.
The teenager is still awaiting his first start – he should have gotten it in the last campaign, of course. Injury held him back, cancelling out nearly all of the 18/19 season.
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But now he’s back and Jurgen Klopp considers him a ‘new player’ for the season. There’s little doubt that he’s going to feature but thus far he hasn’t.
It’s almost certainly because he’s getting the new signing treatment. Klopp likes to wait with players, giving them as much time as possible to learn Liverpool’s style.
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And so injury hasn’t just prevented his debut – it’s also prevented his settling in. But Newcastle at home feels like it’s the right time to give Brewster his debut.
Because games will improve that settling in more than anything. And with Liverpool’s record against the Magpies, it’s a good time to bed in a player.
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Liverpool haven’t lost at home to Newcastle since 1995 and Steve Bruce’s side aren’t one of the league’s strongest. Liverpool also face Napoli in midweek – they need to rest players.
That doesn’t mean Brewster has to start, either, but a chance from the bench? This is the time to do it. There’s a need to rest and there’s a need to bed players in.