Liverpool’s open training session on Sunday saw the absence of four notable players. The absence of Curtis Jones, who went off injured during the match against Real Betis, was expected. However, the unexpected absence of his replacement, Trey Nyoni, raised some eyebrows.
Nyoni had received praise from Liverpool supporters for his standout performance against Betis, where he was the Reds’ best player during the 40 minutes he played. Even Arne Slot, the Liverpool assistant manager, commended Nyoni’s display but urged caution due to the player’s age. Slot emphasized that Nyoni is only 17 years old and his body is still growing. Therefore, the coaching staff is being careful with him, allowing him to join only selected training sessions.
During Sunday’s training session, Liverpool had two sessions planned, with the second session being held behind closed doors. The decision to rest Nyoni and 18-year-old Ben Doak for the first session was made to avoid putting too much strain on the young players. Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo reported that Arne Slot wanted to manage the teenagers’ workload at this stage.
Apart from Jones, Doak, and Nyoni, two other players, Andy Robertson and James McConnell, also missed the training session. Robertson is still with the squad but is managing his fitness and will not be able to play against Arsenal and Manchester United. Slot mentioned that Robertson is not fully fit yet but is expected to be back in full fitness after the tour. Robertson had a small injury before the Euros and needed time to recover. However, he joined the squad for the tour.
As for McConnell, the young player was absent from the Betis match due to a minor injury issue, as reported by Athletic journalist James Pearce.
The complete Liverpool squad for the open training session included goalkeepers Kelleher, Jaros, Pitaluga, and Davies, defenders Quansah, Van den Berg, Phillips, Nallo, Bradley, Tsimikas, Chambers, and Beck, midfielders Szoboszlai, Endo, Elliott, Bajcetic, Morton, and Stephenson, and forwards Salah, Carvalho, Gordon, Koumas, Blair, and Jota.
In conclusion, Liverpool’s open training session saw the absence of several players, including the injured Curtis Jones and the young standout Trey Nyoni. The coaching staff is being cautious with Nyoni’s development due to his age and physical growth. Andy Robertson is managing his fitness and is expected to be back in full fitness after the tour. With the squad being carefully managed, Liverpool is preparing for their upcoming matches against Arsenal and Manchester United.