Liverpool showed off the depth of their squad during Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Brighton.
The Reds have been brilliant so far this season by largely relying on the same group of players.
However, Arne Slot was forced to stray away from that against the Seagulls, with injuries and the cramped Liverpool fixture list meaning the Dutchman had to twist a little.
One of his changes was to bring in midfielder Tyler Morton for a first start of the season.
Morton almost left Liverpool over the summer but after staying put had been rewarded with just eight minutes of action prior to Wednesday.
And having shown his quality during a 64-minute outing on the South Coast, it’s clear that the Liverpool academy graduate deserves far more playing time.
Tyler Morton deserves bigger Liverpool role
It’s easy to see why Morton has not been given much game time at Liverpool this season.
Slot has generally used four players for three midfield positions so far, with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai rotating with Curtis Jones.
As a player much more suited to sitting deeper, Morton is an option in either the Gravenberch or Mac Allister roles.
With both of that pair excelling beyond expectations under Slot, there has been no way in for Morton.
READ MORE: ‘Outstanding’ Liverpool player wanted to leave this summer and asked to be sold
However, Liverpool’s tough run of games is not letting up. They play three more times between now and the next international break and should be aiming for three wins.
Currently, Slot’s fifth option in midfield is Wataru Endo. As Endo’s rusty display against Brighton showed, though, he is still not the midfielder the Liverpool head coach wants him to be.
Better in possession yet still tenacious in the tackle, Morton is a more natural fit than the Japan captain. As a result, the 22-year-old should now jump the pecking order to be ahead of Endo.
What does the future hold for Tyler Morton?
What happens with Morton between November and January will be absolutely crucial to deciding the Liverpool man’s future.
If he can force his way ahead of Endo – as we really think he should – then he’s likely to get a decent amount of game time until the New Year.
Should that happen, Morton may feel he has reason to stay at Liverpool for the full season and beyond.
But if Slot decides that Morton is a sixth and then seventh choice when Harvey Elliott returns to fitness, the former Hull City loanee would be wise to look for a move.
Then Hull manager Liam Rosenior called Morton ‘outstanding‘ during his spell on Humberside in 2023/24. A permanent spot on the Liverpool bench is simply not getting the most out of his talents.
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