Who is playing for Liverpool tonight?
Never mind who Liverpool are playing tonight, just who is playing for Liverpool?
As the Reds get their competitive campaign underway against the unknown FK Rabotnicki in Skopje, Macedonia, many of the players that new boss Roy Hodgson will call upon won’t even be household names in their own households.
The club’s medical staff have insisted that Hodgson not use any player who featured in the knockout stages of the World Cup, meaning that the Reds are without 10 first-team regulars tonight.
A daunting prospect then, but a chance for several of Liverpool’s lesser lights to shine. The question is, just who are they?
Stephen Darby (Defender)
A former youth and reserve-team captain, the 21-year-old Scouser was dubbed ‘Mr Consistency’ by former Reds second-string boss Gary Ablett. Five first-team appearances over the last two seasons led to a loan move to Swindon Town at the end of the last campaign, and he scored the decisive penalty that beat Charlton Athletic in the League One play-off semi-final at the Valley. Normally a right-back, he is likely to fill in at left-back tonight.
Jay Spearing (Midfielder)
As dream home debuts go, running onto the Anfield pitch with your boyhood club 3-0 up in a Champions League tie with Real Madrid is sure to take some beating. That’s what the Wallasey-born Spearing did in March 2009, and he followed that with his first Premier League start last season in a match at Sunderland – where Darren Bent and a beach ball stole the headlines. The 5ft 6in midfield terrier impressed in a loan spell at Leicester last season, and has been singled out for praise by Hodgson this summer.
Diego Cavalieri (Goalkeeper)
Entering his third season as a faithful understudy to Pepe Reina, the Brazilian has still to play for the Reds in the Premier League, but has played eight times in cup competitions. The 28-year-old is a former Brazilian Championship winner with Palmeiras, and so inexperience shouldn’t be a problem.
Daniel Ayala (Defender)
Thrust into the first team at the beginning of last season due to a central defensive crisis, he played at Tottenham and started a win over Stoke City. Five first-team appearances in all were a decent start for the 19-year-old, but the departure of Rafael Benitez puts his future in jeopardy, and a loan move back to Spain looks likely.
Nathan Eccleston (Forward)
From the Newton Heath area of Greater Manchester, Eccleston should probably be playing for Liverpool’s great rivals Manchester United, but he featured twice for the Reds last season, in a League Cup tie at Arsenal and a Premier League game at Roy Hodgson’s Fulham. A loan spell at Huddersfield furthered his development, and the 19-year-old is widely tipped to start on the right of midfield tonight after impressing in pre-season.
Martin Kelly (Defender)
Raised in the same area of Liverpool as Steven Gerrard, Kelly was voted man of the match after a stellar display at right back in a Champions League tie against Lyon at Anfield last season. Sadly, an injury in the same game checked his progress, and he would make just three more appearances throughout the campaign. Now 20, there are high hopes for the former Huddersfield Town loanee.
Jonjo Shelvey (Midfielder)
A final gift from Rafael Benitez, the 18-year-old midfielder moved from Charlton Athletic for an initial £1.7million at the tail end of last season. The south east London club’s youngest-ever player and youngest-ever goalscorer, the six footer has set himself the lofty target of playing 20 games for Liverpool’s first team this season. Tonight should see him off the mark.
Péter Gulácsi (Goalkeeper)
A product of MTK Hungaria – a club with whom Liverpool enjoy a good relationship – the Hungarian under-21 international has had loan spells at Hereford United and Tranmere, but has never played for the Reds first team.
David Amoo (Midfielder)
Picked up from Millwall’s Academy in 2007, the pacy winger scored 12 goals for the Reds youth team in the 2008/09 season. More impressive performances at reserve team level earned him a new contract this summer, and Hodgson is already a confirmed admirer of the 19-year-old, who has figured in both pre-season matches so far and stands a good chance of his first senior outing tonight.
Thomas Ince (Midfielder)
Yes, you do recognise the name. The 18-year-old son of former England and Liverpool midfielder Paul doesn’t just make a whole new generation of football supporters feel old, he is a gifted left winger. Ince had met Hodgson before the Reds boss joined the club this summer, albeit as a three-year-old when his dad was playing under Hodgson at Inter Milan, and he’s impressed the veteran boss so far, just like dad did.
Lauri Dalla Valle (Forward)
Eight goals in Liverpool’s Youth Cup run in 2009 alerted Reds fans to Dalla Valle’s potential, and immediate comparisons with Fernando Torres were made – partly because of the blond locks, but largely for the frightening finishing ability. The flying Finn hopes to follow on from Sami Hyypia and Jari Litmanen in the tradition of talents from his country to have made a mark at Liverpool, and – just 18 – he’s made a good start.
The challenge now is for him, and plenty of his teammates, to build upon that potential. Tonight could be a pivotal night for many of them.
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