Liverpool overcame Southampton during a battling performance in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
The Reds were heavily rotated for the visit to the South Coast, with Arne Slot fielding a number of lesser-seen players.
Slot promised some surprises in his team selection before the game, and that came with Wataru Endo playing in an interesting centre-back, central midfield hybrid role.
Aside from utilising Endo in a new way, the Liverpool head coach also asked some of the club’s younger players to put in a real shift at St Mary’s.
One of those who got the nod was Tyler Morton, who had previously played just 72 minutes of football for Liverpool this season.
After starting off well in his usual midfield position, though, Morton was then moved after the break. And according to former Reds player Jason McAteer, the Liverpool academy graduate ‘struggled’ in his new position.
(THE SUN OUT THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mateus Fernandes of Southampton battles for possession with Tyler Morton of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Qu...
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images2024 Liverpool FC
Tyler Morton struggles at right-back
It was perhaps something of a surprise to see Slot stick Trent Alexander-Arnold in at right-back against Southampton.
Alexander-Arnold will be key during the hectic festive Liverpool fixture list but the boss obviously felt that he simply didn’t have any other options for the Carabao Cup.
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But with Trent only risked for 45 minutes, Slot knew he had to do something after the break.
In the end, this involved moving Morton to right full-back for the second period. And speaking to LFCTV after the game, McAteer says that it could 22-year-old’s first ever stint on the right side of the defence.
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“I don’t think Tyler plays right-back, I don’t think he’s ever played it in the sense of that’s his position and he’s made it his own. He’s a central midfielder,” said the pundit.
“So, to go out on that right hand side was obviously alien to him and I think he struggled a little bit.”
Morton not helped by Federico Chiesa struggles
It was a difficult ask for Morton to fill in against a Premier League side in a position he had never played before.
But the youngster is a very game footballer and will have no doubt enjoyed the challenge. Morton played a centre-half while at Blackburn in 2022/23 and relished that learning curve at the time.
Nevertheless, McAteer was seemingly of the view that Morton’s life could have been made easier had the returning Federico Chiesa been on top of his game himself.
“Chiesa on the right hand side, it took him a large part of the second-half to put himself about in the game,” said the Scouser.
“It was only the last 10 minutes he came alive, he struggled really, which is understandable, he’s been out for a while.”
A good experience for both players who will only get better from here.
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