Neil Jones has named one Liverpool prodigy who he expects to feature in Thursday’s final Europa League group stage clash against Union Saint-Gilloise.
With the Reds having already secured first place in Group E, and with it a direct passage to the round of 16 in March, Jurgen Klopp is bound to rest his big names and hand minutes to fringe players or younger squad members.
Conor Bradley is among those who should be in line to play in some capacity in Belgium, and the journalist reckons that the 20-year-old could become ‘an interesting option’ at right-back in the longer-term.
Speaking to EOTK Insider, Jones said: “Conor Bradley is an interesting one and I’m sure we’ll see him Thursday night against Union. He’s had injuries himself but has 50 games under his belt with Bolton last season, so he’s got some first-team experience and I think Jurgen likes him, his style and the energy he brings.
“He’s a bit of a bridge between, perhaps, Neco Williams and Trent; he’s all-action like Williams but he’s a little more composed, not to the level of Trent but a bit more in that vein in terms of his composure on the ball. He could be an interesting option!”
Bradley’s tremendous performances in pre-season had led to talk of him potentially being a first-team option for Liverpool when the competitive action got underway, only for a back injury to stop him in his tracks and rule him out for four months.
The Northern Ireland international has been restricted to a solitary eight-minute cameo in our last Europa League game against LASK, although he was among the matchday squads for the wins at Sheffield United and Crystal Palace over the past week (Transfermarkt).
The long-term position of Trent Alexander-Arnold within the Reds’ team has been a much-discussed topic of late, with the vice-captain thriving when moved into midfield. Should Klopp decide to make that a more permanent thing, it’d open up a slot at right-back in his side.
Bradley will no doubt have his sights set on emulating the 25-year-old in successfully making the step up from Liverpool’s academy ranks to becoming a first-team regular, and Thursday’s clash against Union SG offers the perfect opportunity to assess him from the start.
If he’s selected in Belgium and then produces a positive performance, he could nudge his way into the manager’s thinking for a few more games over the course of the campaign.