Premier League Finish Giving Jurgen Klopp Chance to Assess Liverpool Youngsters
ANFIELD, Liverpool — Liverpool's routine 2-0 victory over Watford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon had an end-of-season feel to it for long periods, with Jurgen Klopp again making eight changes to the starting XI after UEFA Europa League exertions.
After the excitement Anfield has witnessed in recent European games against Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, the Reds' Premier League clashes have taken a back seat, with Klopp sensibly rotating his squad for domestic fixtures.
Such a relentless run of fixtures in recent weeks has enabled the German the opportunity to give plenty of playing time to Liverpool's fringe players and academy graduates.
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Kevin Stewart made his 10th appearance of the season against Watford—nine of them starts—and his fifth 90 minutes in the Reds' last six league games.
Teenage winger Sheyi Ojo made his fourth start in the last six, claiming his third assist in those starts when he pressed to allow Roberto Firmino to score the second goal of the game in the second half.
There would likely have been another start for young goalkeeper Danny Ward had he not picked up a knee injury in the warm-up prior to the Europa League tie against Villarreal, which would have been his third appearance. His injury, which rules him out for the remaining games this season, denied the Welshman the opportunity for his Anfield debut.
With the game won, two more academy graduates, Connor Randall and Cameron Brannagan, came on to get more playing time and experience.
Klopp isn't just giving youngsters the token cameo substitute appearance, he's using these final league games as an opportunity for them to make an impression.
Far too often in the modern game are youngsters written off after one or two poor, or even just average, performances.
Take Stewart, who looked very bright in his first two starts against Stoke City and Bournemouth but struggled against Newcastle United and Swansea City. Against Watford, he looked better again, helped by having the experienced Joe Allen alongside him rather than teenager Pedro Chirivella.
Liverpool have a wealth of young midfielders at their disposal, but these final Premier League games are giving a very clear indication of where each fits in the future under Klopp.
Out-of-contract Jordan Rossiter looks bound for Rangers, per the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce, while Chirivella's 45 minutes at Swansea indicated he needs a loan spell to bulk up and gain experience before he's ready.
Joao Carlos Teixeira's non-involvement, another out-of-contract player this summer, suggests he'll be leaving this summer.
Brannagan could perhaps make his first league start in the final game of the season next week at West Bromwich Albion.
With Marko Grujic arriving this summer, competition for places in centre midfield is high at Anfield, but these final games are readying players for next season.
Rossiter and Teixeira are destined for the exit, Chirivella will likely head out on loan, Grujic can arrive as a squad player, while Stewart and Brannagan will be heavily involved in the summer tour of America where they can look to force their way further into Klopp's plans for 2016/17.
Senior Departures
Post-Watford, once the crowds had emptied, Martin Skrtel took to the pitch to have a kick about with some of the Liverpool players' kids.
At times, the atmosphere during the game had resembled that of a testimonial affair, and this was likely Skrtel's last Anfield appearance. The long-serving Slovakian isn't likely to start against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, where Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure will be restored in the Reds' defence.
Skrtel has been woefully out of form since returning from injury in March, finding himself very much on the periphery of the squad, but he did sign off with a more accomplished performance, exacting some personal revenge up against Troy Deeney.
Deeney had mocked Skrtel after the 3-0 reverse in the corresponding fixture at Vicarage Road in December, but Skrtel and Lucas Leiva kept Deeney and Odion Ighalo out, with a little help thanks to a superb second-half save by Simon Mignolet.
Lucas may follow Skrtel in heading for the exit this summer, depending on whether the 29-year-old is prepared to stick around as a back-up utility player or head elsewhere to find regular football again.
Skrtel and Lucas wouldn't be a centre-back pairing Klopp would be calling upon had this game had more riding on it.
First-half goalscorer Joe Allen is another whose future looks away from Merseyside this summer, but his stock is high after impressing when rotated in in recent weeks.
Much of Klopp's decisions on the depth of his squad next season will be dependent on the outcome of the Europa League final. Should the Reds win in Basel on May 18, they'll need a bigger squad due to UEFA Champions League involvement next season.
Lose against Sevilla, and Klopp will look more towards having a small, close squad in a similar manner to Leicester City this season, who have used just 23 players. The Reds have used 38 players in all competitions this season.
A small squad, with pure focus on the Premier League, would benefit in many ways, but there's no way Klopp or anyone at Liverpool Football Club would prefer that to Champions League football.
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