Liverpool have a couple of reasons to be quietly pleased about Saturday’s Merseyside Derby postponement.
The Reds looked sloppy in midweek against Newcastle and another difficult away trip was arguably the last thing they needed on the back of it.
But as well as giving the Liverpool squad a couple of much needed days off, the cancellation has had another benefit as well.
It means that injured players such as Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker may miss one less match on the Liverpool fixture list.
Nevertheless, with Konate set to be out for a little while yet, it looks likely that Arne Slot is still going to have to juggle his options at centre-back over the coming weeks.
And judging by goings on over the past few days, Amara Nallo looks like being the man to reap that benefit.
(THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Amara Nallo of Liverpool in action during the UEFA Youth League match at the AXA Training Centre on November 2...
Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Amara Nallo set for Liverpool chance
Nallo was installed as Liverpool’s fifth-choice centre-back heading into the season after Nat Phillips left on-loan for Derby County.
The 18-year-old has impressed since joining from West Ham in 2023, with U21s coach Barry Lewtas calling Nallo an ‘excellent’ performer last term.
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This has led to involvement with the first-team and Nallo was on the bench twice under Jurgen Klopp, once in the FA Cup and once in the Premier League, against Man City no less.
Under Slot, Nallo looks to have made another step forward. With injuries biting hard in the defence, Nallo was part of the travelling squad that faced Newcastle on Wednesday.
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Given that Nallo was seen in first-team training yet again on Friday, it seems plausible that Slot had pencilled the teenager in for another spot on the bench on Saturday.
And with two more games set to take place over the next seven days, Nallo could be smelling a place in the starting XI up for grabs.
Amara Nallo could play against Girona
The postponement of Saturday’s match likely means that Slot will have to rethink his team for Girona.
Given their position at the top of the League Phase, it seems probable that the Liverpool head coach was set to play a weakened team in Spain.
The change of circumstance may now mean he goes stronger than initially planned.
However, Slot still needs to rotate and keep his senior options in defence as fresh as possible. With no Konate, Conor Bradley or Kostas Tsimikas to call upon, this may mean that Nallo still gets the go-ahead.
It would be a big ask for a young defender to come in during an away Champions League game, but Nallo is clearly impressing all the right people and his debut now feels to be very much on the horizon.
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