Leighton Clarkson may well get his Champions League debut against Atalanta on Wednesday. Circumstances almost certainly force Jurgen Klopp’s hand on the matter.
Jurgen Klopp is trying to handle an injury crisis. He’s without Jordan Henderson, Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield.
Then injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez mean Fabinho is a defender, now. That’s one fewer in midfield as a result.
So the last thing Klopp really needed was a terrible fixture list – but that’s what he’s got.
Liverpool play Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday evening and then have the early kick-off on Saturday against Brighton. That’s difficult to manage regardless, let alone with half the first-team missing.
So, really, there are three midfield options left – Gini Wijnaldum, Curtis Jones and James Milner. All three played the full 90 minutes against Leicester City.
It’s difficult to see, then, how they all start against Atalanta. Especially if Klopp wants them to face Brighton away, which is arguably a bigger game at this stage.
Thus we see at least one of them dropping out, creating a space in midfield. There’s a good chance it’ll be two, in fact.
But who can come in? Well, judging from Sunday’s bench, Leighton Clarkson could face Atalanta.
The 19-year-old has played first-team football before but only in weakened FA Cup and League Cup teams. He’s never played in the Champions League, certainly.
Clarkson has been training with the first-team over the international break, though. In fact, Klopp picked him out as one of the ‘sensational’ young players who did so.
If the boss wants to rest any of his stars, he’ll likely have to play Clarkson in the middle on his Champions League debut. It’s difficult to see how else he builds a lineup with two centre-midfielders – let alone three.
It would be a massive moment for Clarkson. One that could potentially make his career.
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