Liverpool’s first-team trio of Arthur, Fabio Carvalho and Nat Phillips played 90 minutes for the Under-21s in their victory over Leicester on Saturday.
Leicester U21 0-1 Liverpool U21
Premier League 2, Leicester City training groundSeptember 17, 2022
Goal: Stewart 33′
With Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea postponed, and Arthur, Carvalho and Phillips among the 16 players who will not be on international duty this month, the Reds seized the opportunity to give the trio valuable playing time with the Under-21.
It was a starting XI that would not have looked out of place in a first-team League Cup match. Phillips lined up defensively alongside the likes of Isaac Mabaya and Luke Chambers, who have trained with Jurgen Klopp in recent weeks.
Arthur, looking to improve his fitness following his deadline stoppage from Juventus, was in midfield alongside Stefan Bajcetic, who became the youngest player in the club’s Champions League history at earlier this week, and U-21 captain Jake Cain.
In attack, Carvalho was joined by Bobby Clark, who made his senior debut in a 9-0 win over Bournemouth last month, and striker Layton Stewart.
And it was Stewart’s first-half goal that secured all three points for Barry Lewtas’ side, with the 20-year-old now as many as three goals for the Under-21s this season.
Phillips, who was excellent throughout, was photographed nursing one of his usual bloody noses in the second half, but was still able to complete the entire game.
Earlier this week, there were false reports from Italy that the club was already prepared to end Arthur’s loan. Those claims should be ignored, with this another useful exercise for the Brazilian, who spent most of the pre-season training individually.
A good run for some of Klopp’s first-team players, then, and an excellent experience for some of the younger prospects to play alongside some senior pros.
“Obviously that’s what this group can do sometimes,” Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com when asked about the inclusion of first-team players.
“We talk about it a lot: we are in the same building, we work very closely on how we want to play.
“It gives players a chance if they need minutes to come in and play a few minutes and play the way we play. So, it was really good.
“They are top-level professionals. They also add to our group, not only in terms of our performance, but our youngsters can see what the elite is like.
“It works both ways. We can give them a few minutes but they are able to show us their professionalism and why they are where they are”.
Next up for the U21s is an EFL Trophy clash with the Rochdale first team on Tuesday, where older players who won’t be on international duty may once again be able to take part.
TIA Man of the Match: Nat Phillips
Liverpool Under-21: Davies; Mabaya, Phillips, Jonas, Chambers; Bajcetic (Stephenson, 90), Arthur, Cain (Corness, 90); Carvalho, Clark (Norris, 82), Stewart (Blair, 82)
Unused Sub: Kelly
Next game: Rochdale (A) – EFL Trophy – Tuesday 20th September, 7pm (BST)
