Liverpool secured a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday evening, with an added-time Dominik Szoboszlai screamer securing victory amid late Spurs pressure.
Goals arrived through the Hungarian, Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister — who scored in similar style to his thumper versus Atletico Madrid last week — as Andoni Iraola fielded a rotated side.
Four Liverpool youngsters in Rio Ngumoha, Lewis Koumas, James McConnell and Trey Nyoni took to the pitch; a particularly fine outing from the latter appears to have saved the Reds millions.
Trey Nyoni’s performance against Spurs could have saved Liverpool millions
Nyoni was in good form against Liverpool’s Carabao Cup opposition, boasting 95 per cent pass accuracy in his 65-minute appearance.
In the opponent’s half, Nyoni recorded 22 successful passes from 24 attempts — with 100 per cent long ball accuracy — won four duels, and recorded six defensive contributions.
In comparison, Mac Allister recorded 22 successful passes from 27 attempts in Spurs’ half — with 67% long ball accuracy — won five duels, and recorded five defensive contributions. The Argentine also played an additional half-hour.
While Nyoni lacked the goal-scoring output of his Anfield partner on Tuesday evening, he delivered an all-round display that could end up saving Liverpool millions.
The Reds' recent transfer activity saw their midfield personnel remain identical, except for the departures of Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic. And for Iraola, the faith he placed in Nyoni to spare the Reds’ blushes could hardly have been quicker repaid.
His start also served as a reminder to supporters that they never truly know the full story. Did Nyoni perform well enough at the AXA Training Centre this summer for Liverpool not to look elsewhere in the window?
Or was his performance the kind of lucky, perfectly-timed intervention that Iraola had merely prayed for? Whatever the answer, the showing was undeniable.
The 19-year-old appears set to be an unexpectedly critical player for the Basque boss this term, and serve as the midfield reinforcement Liverpool so desperately craved.
Nyoni being ‘like a new signing’ will provoke eye rolls from the Reds faithful — they’ve heard it one too many times before — but it is a possibility.
Whether Liverpool truly had it all planned out from the beginning is irrelevant. This young man will be watched closely, and he’ll have all of Anfield behind him.
