Liverpool’s five hottest prospects ready to burst onto the scene in League Cup quarter-final – including a fearless schemer and the striker turning up the heat on Darwin Nunez
Arne Slot will herald the changes for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at managerless Southampton on Wednesday evening, with a mounting injury crisis meaning the holders are likely to field a raft of youngsters.
Slot will watch from the stands due to a touchline ban – he picked up his third yellow card of the season during Saturday’s draw against Fulham – and his loyal assistant Sipke Hulshoff will help from the dugout alongside coach Johnny Heitinga, the former Everton defender.
Liverpool won this trophy last season despite a makeshift team of fringe stars and teenagers called ‘the Kindergarten Kop’.
The Mail Sport man on Merseyside is a regular at academy matches and here he gives you the lowdown on the new faces ready to play…
TREY NYONI, 17, MIDFIELDER
Often captaining Liverpool Under 19s in the UEFA Youth League this season, Nyoni plays with a maturity beyond his years and is one of the most popular players in the academy. He excels in a number of roles, but probably dictates play best from midfield.
He is small in stature but has an excellent football IQ which helps him get out of trouble and he always tries to get ahead in the game with batted passes through the lines. An England youth international, Nyoni is a vocal figure on the pitch.
Arne Slot, who has made a great start for Liverpool, will watch from the sidelines on Wednesday evening after picking up his third yellow card of the season.
Liverpool won the League Cup last season after selecting a makeshift team of fringe stars
Trey Nyoni plays with a maturity beyond his years and is one of Liverpool’s most popular players
Midfielder Harvey Elliott said in Philadelphia, after Nyoni shone in pre-season: ‘Trey has everything. He is fearless for such a young age. He just has to keep going in the right direction, keep trusting the process and his time will come.”
AMARA NALLO, 18, CENTRAL DEFENDER
Like Nyoni, Nallo is one of Liverpool’s gems, poached from another English academy. Since Brexit, the Reds have been forced to shop closer to home and the pair joined in 2023 from Leicester and West Ham respectively.
Last summer the club lured Rio Ngumoha – described as ‘the best boy in his age group’ – from Chelsea, although this match may come too soon for the 16-year-old as Liverpool do not want to rush his development.
Enfield-born Nallo is a great athlete. He is big and strong, and this season his recovery pace and overall positioning have been astute. He is a modern defender who is good on the ball, but also has old-fashioned qualities and is not afraid of a challenge.
JAMES NORRIS, 21, BACK LEFT
Another with a path to the first team at St Mary’s as Andy Robertson is suspended following his red card against Fulham, while Kostas Tsimikas only returned to training this week after an ankle injury and will certainly not be fit enough to play a full match to play.
Norris made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old in 2019 – also in the League Cup – and, having spent time on loan at local club Tranmere Rovers last year, could be ready for his second bite of the icing on the cake.
JAYDEN DANNS, 18, ASSAULT
Probably the most famous of the Kop Kids who were in the spotlight last season. Danns’ season has been hampered by a back injury so far, but he is now fit and working. The son of former Crystal Palace star Neil Danns has been productive at youth level.
The 18-year-old Danns, a lanky striker who plays into his own hands everywhere, scored a brace off the bench against Southampton in the FA Cup last season. And given the problems of failed number 9 Darwin Nunez, who has scored just three goals this season, and injury-prone Diogo Jota, this kid could soon get more playing time.
Promising centre-back Amara Nallo is a fantastic athlete – big and strong, but watching him this season his recovery pace and general positioning look sharp.
James Norris actually made his senior debut as a 17-year-old in 2019 – also in the League Cup
Jayden Danns (left) has had his season so far hampered by injury, while Tyler Morton (right) has attracted interest from Xabi Alonso and Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen
TYLER MORTON, 22, MIDFIELDER
German champions Bayer Leverkusen put an attractive loan offer on the table for Morton this summer, but Liverpool insisted they would only accept a permanent contract, and he ended up staying.
After spending last season on loan at Hull City, Morton has barely featured this season, but that could be about to change.
In an interview with Mail Sport while on loan at the Tigers, Morton said he idolizes two former Liverpool midfielders, Xabi Alonso (now Leverkusen manager) and Steven Gerrard. He played eleven games for the first team. All but two have competed in cup competitions.
PS… this match will likely see rare starts for the injured Wataru Endo, Jarell Quansah and Elliott. Federico Chiesa, who has played a total of 78 minutes in three games since joining from Juventus, will get some game time. Jota won’t start, but Caoimhin Kelleher will, following his recent heroics as Alisson’s replacement.