Liverpool Coaches Do Not View Stefan Bajcetic as a Long-Term Right-Back Option

Stefan Bajcetic made his first appearance for Liverpool since March when he started in the Europa League trip to LASK, filling in for Joe Gomez at right-back. While the teenager occupied the hybrid role adapted for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool coaches do not view him as a long-term option in that role.

Previewing the League Cup tie against Leicester, assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders explained, “That’s why I made a big compliment to Joe Gomez. Stefan is this player who last year, from a coach’s point of view, played on the six and was just exciting, no? Because he plays passes, dictates the game in a different way to Alexis or other midfielders we had. He’s this proper, proper talent, so you want to see him in the middle of the pitch. So it would not make sense to just play him as a right-back and use him as a right-back like in the past or whatever.”

Alexander-Arnold Injury Leaves Bajcetic as Right-Back Option

Alexander-Arnold has rejoined training after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury, but will not be considered for the squad in midweek. That leaves Jurgen Klopp with the decision over starting Joe Gomez again or returning to Bajcetic as right-back, with the latter seemingly more likely to allow him valuable game time.

Lijnders continued, “It’s not easy to find the right player if Joe or Trent can’t play. But we need to find solutions as well, because Stefan, he’s coming back from a long-term injury, so it’s not possible for him to play constantly. We need to find solutions in that position. It’s good that Trent is training – yesterday he was on the pitch – it’s good that Joe is performing how he is performing. And it’s nice for Stefan to play a game there, but it was his first game as a [right-back]. He play a lot of games at centre-half, but not at full-back.”

Bajcetic’s Future Lies in Midfield

Bajcetic is expected to start in the same position when Leicester visit Anfield in the League Cup on Wednesday night, but Lijnders insisted his future is in midfield. The assistant manager believes that Bajcetic’s talents are best suited to the middle of the pitch and that playing him as a right-back would not make sense.

Bajcetic is still working his way back from a long-term adductor injury and Klopp will need to find solutions in the right-back position until Alexander-Arnold and Gomez are fully fit. While Bajcetic may be an option in the short-term, it is clear that his future lies in midfield.