Liverpool face Sunderland in the Premier League depleted of defensive options.
It was a decision that left plenty baffled.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s red card in the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City for denying a goalscoring opportunity caused plenty of controversy, given that Rayan Cherki’s attempted pass for Erling Haaland in the dying embers of the Anfield encounter found the back of the net.
However, the laws of the game dictated that Szoboszlai’s shirt pull on Haaland meant that VAR intervened - and the Hungary international will be banned for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland as he serves a one-match suspension.
Frustratignly, it leaves Arne Slot another right-back option short. Szoboszlai, who opened the scoring against City with a sublime free-kick, deputised in defence in the absence of Conor Bradley (knee), Jeremie Frimpong (groin), Joe Gomez (hip) and Giovanni Leoni (knee).
Liverpool are set to head to Sunderland with just four senior defenders. An option for Slot to at least bolster his substitutes’ bench could be to call up a member of the under-21s. In a 6-0 victory over Qarabag in the Champions League last month, Amara Nallo came off the bench to make a third senior appearance.
The 19-year-old was infamously sent off in his first two first-team appearances against PSV Eindhoven and Crystal Palace respectively. Playing against Qarabag was a reward for the mentally he showed after his setbacks. Liverpool head coach Slot said: “Amara is a bit further away, but very nice for him after his difficult start in the first team – two red cards. [It showed] that he’s mentally so strong, kept fighting, doing good in the under-21s and now he got his reward of playing time in the first team.”
However, Nallo found himself handed his marching orders for a third time in his career last weekend. The defender was given a red card for the under-21s in a 1-1 draw against Southampton in Premier League 2. In the 24th minute, a robust tackle on Tommy Dobson-Ventura saw Nallo dismissed.
The former West Ham United man must serve a suspension. But it is understood that Nallo is available to be in the squad against Sunderland should Liverpool wish. LiverpoolWorld understands that non-first team suspension do not prohibit a player from participating in first-team matches.
Slot has the option of calling up a different youngster such as Carter Pinnington or Noah Adekoya, who was signed from Burnley in the January transfer window, against Sunderland. Both are registered as under-21 players in Liverpool’s Premier League squad and it would be a good experience for either. Kiernan Morrison, a 19-year-old versatile attacker, has been in the Premier League once this season and is another who could be promoted.
Yet the ideal situation will be that Gomez can be back to feature in the squad, although the Liverpool boss is not optimistic.
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