No one knows quite what to expect from Liverpool’s four remaining Premier League fixtures of the season.
The Reds have secured the league title with plenty to spare but must still play out a quartet of tricky games to finish the campaign.
The first of those comes on Sunday against Chelsea, who are fighting tooth and nail to get into next season’s Champions League.
Arne Slot may not want to rest too many of his starting players, but after the celebrations of Sunday and the days that followed, it’s clear that some of them also deserve a break.
In the meantime, Liverpool have returned to training, and footage from Wednesday’s session could be instructive in who Slot hands minutes to for the rest of the campaign.
And while players such as Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo will be desperate to finally make a Premier League start, youngsters Trey Nyoni and James McConnell could also be in line to feature.
Arne Slot could turn to Trey Nyoni and James McConnell
Liverpool’s fixtures are not easy for the rest of the season. With Chelsea and Brighton away and Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Anfield, it’s a good job the Reds already have the title won.
Had they needed points from those four games, things could easily have started to become nervy.
As it is, Slot and Liverpool can take the hand break off, though. Caution can be thrown to the wind. In our opinion, this could see both Nyoni and McConnell come into the boss’ thinking.
Nyoni was seen delivering an inch perfect assist for Darwin Nunez on Wednesday and that was a little reminder – if any was needed – that the 17-year-old is a real prospect. Liverpool view Nyoni as a ‘special talent‘ and he’s getting ever closer to making his breakout.
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Liverpool need an additional midfielder next season having leaned a little too heavily on Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister in particular this time.
They could go into the transfer market to get that. They could also give Stefan Bajcetic a go after a successful season out on-loan. But Slot clearly rates Nyoni and McConnell, and these next four games give him the chance to test them out in an intense Premier League setting. He should take that.
McConnell more likely to feature
Although Nyoni looks to have been impressing in training since Liverpool’s title win was confirmed, McConnell is probably closer to making an appearance.
Slot raved about McConnell after starting him against PSV Eindhoven in January and a winter loan move was even put on ice as a result.
The 20-year-old played 90 minutes against Plymouth in February, but has not seen a single second of first-team football since. Nevertheless, McConnell has been a regular around the Liverpool training ground.
Nyoni has often been seen at Kirkby as well, and both players were out on the pitch to celebrate with the senior side on Sunday. But given he is slightly older and has more experience already, McConnell feels more likely to get minutes over the next four weeks.
Neither player has featured in the Premier League yet this season. But as Slot starts to formulate his summer plans, now would be a good time to test the waters and determine whether either of these prospects can be relied upon in 2025/26.
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