Liverpool’s injury crisis has gone from bad to worse at a very inconvenient time in the season, and Arne Slot is running out of options in the forward areas. It could mean a Premier League debut for 18-year-old Will Wright.
It’s been a rather frustrating season with regard to key players missing so much time. Liverpool’s attack has been cursed with injuries — Alexander Isak is reportedly out again.
He joins Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Jayden Danns on the list of sidelined attackers ahead of a crucial trip to Old Trafford. As a result, Slot may look to Wright if anything else goes awry on Sunday.
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Will Wright one of the only backups for Liverpool vs Man United
It’s hard to predict what Slot will do with his starting XI against Man United, as there just aren’t many natural solutions to these problems.
It will be a makeshift front line whatever he does, with Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, Jeremie Frimpong and Federico Chiesa as the established options available for today. But a star of the Under-21 side is a more natural striker than all of them.
Wright was on Slot’s bench against Crystal Palace, so you would assume the same will be true against United.
There’s a real chance the teenager can make his first Premier League appearance for Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Wright has all the talent to take this next step, and he showed that in the Premier League 2 this season. He scored six goals and made five assists in 15 games, and was a key cog in Rob Page’s side when he returned from injury after Christmas.
He has traits that make for an exciting prospect at the striker position. For example, his relentless pressing and energy. It’s the kind of pressure that no defender enjoys being under.
Then there’s the uncoachable instincts, which Under 21s Rob Page discussed recently (via Echo): “The run across the defender at the near post, that’s striker’s instinct. It’s hard to coach that. You can give them ideas of what to do, but the timing of the run was to perfection.”
We aren’t likely to see Wright in the starting lineup when the teamsheets come out later, but he would be close to the top of the list of substitutes Slot can call upon. This is a player tipped to make a first-team impact at Anfield, and at 18, he will be hungry for minutes at the senior level.
If another injury occurs to an attacker — stranger things have happened — it could be his time.
And what a way that would be to kick off your Liverpool career.
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