How Liverpool wonderkid Trey Nyoni fared on full Reds debut against Southampton
Wednesday evening saw promising Liverpool star Trey Nyoni make his full Reds debut in the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Southampton.
The 17-year-old was heavily involved in pre-season during the Reds tour of the USA, featuring due to the huge number of Liverpool players who missed the trip stateside due to their involvement in international football. "I think still this team, with what we have, has a lot of homegrown players," said Reds boss Arne Slot during pre-season.
"One of them, Trey Nyoni, is also training with us on a daily basis at only 17. So this club will always bring good youngsters." And that quality Slot spoke of in pre-season was clear for Liverpool supporters to see against the Saints
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Slot was not on the touchline due to a ban, but he will have seen Nyoni play the majority of the game against Southampton, with the 17-year-old coming off on 86 minutes for another Liverpool youngster, Jayden Danns.
Nyoni did not really do too much of note, but it was perhaps testament to his performance against Southampton that the teenager did not look out of place in the Liverpool midfield. "Jayden Danns on for Trey Nyoni, who's looked quite assured on his first Liverpool start," wrote one fan on X following the latter's substitution. Another added: "Futures bright for Trey Nyoni."
A third, who was impressed with Nyoni, as well as other youngsters Tyler Morton and James McConnell, said: "Great showing so far by the young lads! Tyler Morton and James McConnell! Calm and cool under pressure. Trey Nyoni is showing flashes of technique and class too!" And a fourth said: "Trey Nyoni is unreal. What a talent we have on our hands."
With Liverpool now progressing to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after beating Southampton, it seems unlikely given the magnitude of the game Nyoni will start for the Reds in either leg. Liverpool will play one of Arsenal, Newcastle United or the winner of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, who face off on Thursday evening.
That could mean the next time Reds supporters see Nyoni in first team action could be when January comes around when Liverpool play Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round.
Liverpool.com says: "Nyoni's performance was a decent one, especially for it being his first senior start for Liverpool against an experienced Southampton midfield of Flynn Downes and Joe Aribo. It will probably take some time before the 17-year-old is being given more first team minutes, but he produced an assured performance, and one that Liverpool will be pleased with."