Jurgen Klopp has already insisted he won’t be making too many changes for Liverpool’s Europa League meeting with Toulouse on Thursday, but there are still a handful of players hoping to see some minutes.
Andy Robertson has undergone shoulder surgery and now joins Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak on the treatment table, but Klopp has most of his senior squad available to him and should be using this game as the chance to test those players on the fringes of his current setup.
With only a handful of changes likely, here are three players who should be first in line for a chance to impress against Toulouse.
20-year-old centre-back Quansah is proving to be a reliable option for Klopp, who gave the youngster the full 90 minutes against Union Saint-Gilloise last time out in this competition.
Premier League minutes have been hard to come by for Quansah but this competition should present Klopp with an excellent chance to develop the academy graduate into a player who is genuinely capable of impressing for the first team.
A new centre-back is on Klopp’s transfer wish list but, with a little patience, Quansah could blossom into the perfect new face in the squad and ultimately save the club a huge sum of money.
Endo has played just one fewer minute across Liverpool’s two Europa League games than he has in the Premier League this season.
Questions have been asked about the decision to sign the Japan international but few can doubt his work rate and desire to make something out of his spell at Anfield. These are the sorts of games that can help build Endo’s confidence and keep him battling for a spot in the first team.
Playing Endo also gives Alexis Mac Allister the chance to rest, which is crucial as the Reds prepare for a hectic few weeks of fixtures.
Robertson’s shoulder injury will pose a real problem for Klopp, who needs to find more cover for the position for the foreseeable future.
Having already name-checked 18-year-old Scanlon as a possible option, now is the time for Klopp to test the teenager and see whether he’s truly ready to compete with Kostas Tsimikas for minutes over the next few months.
Scanlon is yet to make his debut for Liverpool but made his first matchday squad for the Merseyside derby.
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