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Liverpool’s Welsh teen sensation Neco Williams could replace Trent Alexander-Arnold for a long period after it emerged that the Englishman could be out for a month with a calf injury.
Injuries continue to pile up for Jurgen Klopp’s team, with Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thiago all injured, while Joel Matip is also not believed to be 100 percent fit.
But Alexander-Arnold, who fell to the Etihad turf with a calf injury after an hour against Manchester City at the weekend, will be absent until December, national media reported.
That means Klopp will have to work more magic to bolster his defense, but it could represent the biggest opportunity in Williams’ Liverpool career to date.
The 19-year-old Welshman has seen his shares increase dramatically in 2020, having won the Premier League title and won five international matches for Wales, a figure that is sure to rise over the next fortnight.
But with Alexander-Arnold widely recognized as one of the best in his position in the world, Williams knew he would have to bide his time if he wanted to make his mark at Anfield. Now that moment might have come.
In recent days, The Times reported that Williams was the target of transfer interest from the Wolves over the summer, with the Molineux club attempting to replace Matt Doherty, who was signed by Tottenham.
Liverpool had to crush the Wolves, but they ended up selling Ki-Jana Hoever in the following days as Diogo Jota was already taken to Anfield.
And it is clear why Liverpool wanted to retain him. They clearly hold him in high regard and offered him a great five-year deal over the summer, which of course the 19-year-old Williams signed.
After Williams put pen to paper, Anfield boss Klopp greeted the right-back like a “machine.”
“I think Neco is, how young the players are, they are kind of ‘projects’. I don’t want to use that word, but with my English I don’t have a better one, “Klopp said in August.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but there are already a lot of skills and potential there and that makes it so exciting.
“Neco from the first day he trained with us, he trained like a machine.”
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Stepping up to fill the Alexander-Arnold void will be a considerable undertaking. It remains to be seen if Klopp entrusts Williams with that position or if he places a more experienced activist like James Milner there as a temporary resource.
But given Williams’ pretty obvious work ethic and talent, fans on this side of the border will no doubt back the youngster up to the plate.
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