Jurgen Klopp just can’t afford to give Rhys Williams second chance vs Ajax

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Jurgen Klopp can’t afford to start Rhys Williams against Ajax on Tuesday. The teenager let one slip against Atalanta last week.

Liverpool vs Ajax is a huge game. Bigger than it looks, in all honesty, as it could shape Liverpool’s season.

December will be tough no matter what, after all, given the packed schedule and troubling injury list. But there can be a reprieve.

Beat Ajax and the Reds qualify for the knockout round. That has a knock-on effect of making FC Midtjylland vs Liverpool a dead-rubber. Jurgen Klopp could therefore rest his stars for that one and give them a week off.

And that’s why Klopp can’t afford to risk Rhys Williams against Ajax.

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Liverpool’s centre-half options for Tuesday will likely be Joel Matip, Fabinho, and Williams.

Now, with Liverpool needing to win, Klopp will surely want to go full-strength. The fact an injury-free Matip didn’t face Brighton suggests that is the case.

Thus Matip and Fabinho look like the probable pairing.

Unfortunately for Williams, he made a mistake against Atalanta. He failed to track his man, directly costing the team a goal. Liverpool just really cannot afford a repeat and need to go as solid as possible.

Nat Phillips – who can’t play in the Champions League – stepped in to play against Brighton and was wonderful. In a way, he showed the difference in experience between himself and Williams.

Williams looks very talented and could make it at Anfield. But there’s a time and a place to give him a chance at redemption. Tuesday is not it – there’s too much riding on it.

Instead, Williams should hope the team gets the job done at Anfield so he can have a full 90 against Midtjylland next week.