Liverpool don’t need to spend £80m on Adam Wharton, Sunderland win showed they’ve already got their own
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It is amazing what a game of football can do to settle the nerves of a fanbase.Heading into Saturday’s friendly against Sunderland, Liverpool supporters were starting to get that twitchy feeling that a lack of movement in the summer transfer window can bring.By the end of the match, though the need for a new centre-back was heightened after injury to Joe Gomez, things were looking a lot more positive, with a number of fringe Liverpool players showing that they have the potential to go up a level under Andoni Iraola. Who impressed you for Liverpool against Sunderland, and what does it mean for the Reds under Andoni Iraola?
On Saturday, it became perfectly clear why Liverpool do not need to spend so big on Wharton, with young Trey Nyoni once again underlining that he can do the exact same job without the Reds needing to spend a penny.Nyoni can be Liverpool’s midfield dictatorOn paper, Liverpool already have a good midfield which, if Iraola drills them correctly, does not necessarily need anything added to it.As he showed on Saturday, the Basque is likely to deploy a three-man midfield for the Reds, with two sitters and a more attacking No. Which Liverpool youngster looks more ready to solve Reds defensive crisisIn terms of the Liverpool squad, it is easy to see Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai playing behind Florian Wirtz as part of the Iraola’s best XI, with Alexis Mac Allister and, for now, Curtis Jones in reserve.Jones could leave, though, and Mac Allister could too, leaving some fans concerned that Liverpool simply do not have enough.That is to discount Nyoni, however, who came on and absolutely ran the show during a 45-minute display in Nashville against Sunderland.Now 19, Nyoni is ready for a bigger role, and if Saturday is anything to go by, Iraola would be foolish not to hand it to him.
He completed 86% of his 49 passes, created four chances, including what was deemed as one ‘big chance’, and won three out of four ground duels.Though Nyoni is not the defensive midfield destroyer some Liverpool fans think Iraola needs, neither is Wharton. But Liverpool have that in Nyoni, and with Iraola keen to use the young players at his disposal as much as possible, next season looks like it could be a big one for the Reds’ No.