In the Carabao Cup match between Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth, a bright potential can be the most recent addition to the starting lineup.
At Liverpool, there is a clear path from the academy to the first team. Jurgen Klopp has demonstrated that there are still opportunities for the young players to establish themselves in his Reds lineup, even if the team has returned to the pinnacles of the Premier League this season and undergone a roster revamp during the summer transfer window.
The current face of the youth setup is Ben Doak. The 17-year-old winger’s quick progress since joining from Celtic in the summer of 2022 has earned him recognition as a member of the first team.
Even Stefan Bajcetic is ahead of his time. Despite his 19 appearances from the previous season, Klopp will feel that he is lacking in midfield options while the Spaniard is out. Furthermore, if Conor Bradley hadn’t sustained a stress fracture to his back during the preseason, there might have been a chance. Kaide Gordon and Bobby Clark are comparable in this regard.
Jarell Qunsah, Luke Chambers, Calum Scanlon, and James McConnell have all already bowed this campaign. On Wednesday night, when Liverpool plays Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup fourth round, all four players are predicted to be participating. Chambers made his entire debut in the Europa League victory against Toulouse last week, winning 5-1. He may start against the Cherries once more to give Kostas Tsimikas a break while Andy Robertson is out with an injury. Quansah will likewise be looking for a chance to play central defense.
Additionally, with Doak still possibly out due to a muscle injury and Luis Diaz missing time due to his father’s ongoing rescue operation from Colombia, Klopp may choose to promote another member of Liverpool’s under-21 team.
So far this season, Mateusz Musialowski has been a productive player for Barry Lewtas’ team. The Polish forward scored his fifth goal of the 2023–24 campaign on Sunday in a 2-2 tie with Leeds United, finishing from the edge of the box. Thus far in his seven outings, he has also registered two assists.
In 2020, at the age of 17, Musialowski transferred from SMS Lodz to the Reds, sparking attention from Arsenal, Ajax, and RB Leipzig. The boy had been dubbed the ‘Polish Messi’ back home.
In his rookie season, Musialowski scored 12 goals in 25 games, helping Liverpool’s under-18 team go to the FA Youth Cup final. He scored 10 goals in 26 games the next season, proving to be lethal once more.
Musialowski was only on target twice in 18 games last season, which wasn’t as effective in the closing third. Then, rumors circulated in Poland during the summer transfer season, suggesting that Musialowski was on the verge of departing Anfield. According to Polish publication Sport.pl, Liverpool was content for the 20-year-old to depart and sign a free transfer to Austrian team TSV Hartberg, but they wanted to include a sell-on clause in the agreement. The deal fell through, though, because it was rumored that the Reds changed their minds at the last minute and wanted a fee instead.
However, Musialowski has continued to be a talisman for the under-21 team and hasn’t let that failed swap affect him. Because of his versatility and ability to play in any of the front three positions, Klopp may consider him against Bournemouth.
The Liverpool boss might decide that Diogo Jota should sit out the match in place of Diaz, while Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah might also be given some TLC. In his ongoing recuperation from a knee injury, Cody Gakpo is expected to start, and in the event that Doak is still sidelined, Harvey Elliott may play on the right wing instead of in midfield.
Musialowski might then be able to take one berth. Having scored in EFL Trophy matches against Morecambe and Blackpool, respectively, he has already demonstrated his ability to perform against elite competition this season.
