CAOIMHÍN KELLEHER IS set to return to Liverpool’s starting team for tomorrow’s Champions League tie away to PSV Eindhoven, with Irish U19 international Trent Kone-Doherty in contention for his first-team debut with the club.
Liverpool’s progress to the round of 16 is already secured, and they are guaranteed to finish no lower than second and will claim top spot with a point in the Netherlands.
Saturday’s trip to high-flying Bournemouth is the priority, with a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League to extend or protect, and Slot has decided to rest nine of the players who started in the 4-1 win over Ipswich at the weekend for the eighth game of a nine-match run in 27 days.
Only Andy Robertson and former PSV forward Cody Gakpo are retained from Saturday’s starting line-up, which means the other senior players left on Merseyside are Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.
With Alisson left at home, Kelleher is likely to make his 15th appearance of the season for Liverpool. The most he has made in a single season for Liverpool remains the 26 appearances he clocked up last term, with Jurgen Klopp preferring him to Alisson for Liverpool’s Europa League campaign.
Kone-Doherty, meanwhile, is among the 21-man squad. Capped up to Irish U19 level, Kone-Doherty joined Liverpool from Derry City in 2022. He is a quick, skilful winger who is predominately right-footed. He has played on both wings, but Liverpool’s academy has recently preferred to play him off the left side of the attack.
Academy players Jayden Danns and Trey Nyoni, both of whom have made first-team appearances this season, are in the squad, along with Kieran Morrison, Isaac Mabaya, Amara Nallo, James Norris and James McConnell.
Defender Joe Gomez returned to training on Tuesday after missing seven matches with a hamstring injury but he too has remained on Merseyside to continue his recovery.
Midfielder Curtis Jones, who missed Saturday’s win over Ipswich with a groin problem, and striker Diogo Jota, who has been out for a fortnight with a muscle injury, have yet to rejoin the squad.
With reporting by PA
Kone-Doherty probably won’t get mins however just travelling with and being around the senior squad, especially on a CL league nite will be great experience for him…he’s nearly there, some goin if he does crack the 1st team, some serious competition for places & trying to get into the best team in Europe at the moment can’t be easy.
Delighted he’s resting his first team. A great opportunity for the young fellas to come in and show what they’ve got. Good to see another Irish lad in the squad too.
Play them all, perfect opportunity to afford them experience and a night they won’t forget,a big one the weekend,keep the first team rested.
Hopefully trent junior gets a run out good prospect for us and ireland