We’ve had the pleasure of watching many youngsters take the field this January for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp picking virtual Under-21 XIs against Exeter home and away in the FA Cup.
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So we’ve decided to construct the best possible Under-21 XI made up of Liverpool owned players, to prove some of the upcoming talent at the club’s disposal.
Emre Can, Tiago Ilori, Andre Wisdom and Danny Ward would have gotten into this side to make it look all the more impressive, but have all now turned 22.
The likes of Ryan Kent, Pedro Chirivella, Cameron Brannagan, Sergi Canos and Jerome Sinclair all narrowly miss out.
In goal, we’ve gone for Ryan Fulton, who’s currently impressing on loan at Portsmouth. He’s 19 and a regular for the Scottish Under-21s. Australian Brad Smith is pushing Alberto Moreno for a starting spot in the full side, and at 21, gets in for us at left-back.
We’re not entirely convinced of Connor Randall’s long-term suitability at right-back, but he’s the best we’ve got in that position – while Joe Gomez is the undoubted star name in defence. The injured 18-year-old was recently named in Goal’s Top 50 Under-18s in the world.
Young Joe Maguire can start alongside him.
In midfield, our January signing Marko Grujic lines up alongside boyhood Red Jordan Rossiter. Could we see this for real one day? Grujic is very, very highly rated and a starter for Serbian champions in waiting Red Star Belgrade. He’ll join up with Liverpool in the summer. Rossiter’s been injured for most of Klopp’s tenure, but the talent and potential as an anchorman is there in bundles.
The attacking players are by far the most promising however.
We’re going to stick wonderkids Jordon Ibe and Sheyi Ojo out wide to allow on-loan £20m Lazar Markovic the central attacking role. The Serb is comfortable anywhere in attacking midfield.
Up top, Divock Origi plays. If the 20-year-old wasn’t currently injured, he’d probably be starting for Klopp’s first-team.
Put Ilori alongside Gomez at centre-back, Can in midfield next to Grujic and 23-year-old Flanagan at right-back – and this side could beat Premier League teams on a good day.
Exciting stuff!
