Liverpool are set to name the youngest starting XI in their history when they face Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday evening.
With Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad in Qatar for the Club World Cup, an almost unrecognisable side will take to the field at Villa Park under the watch of Under-23s boss Neil Critchley.
Two players with previous first-team experience, Curtis Jones and Neco Williams, were expected to be part of the line-up, but have instead been selected to travel out to the Middle East.
And another starlet with senior minutes under his belt, Rhian Brewster, is a doubt for Tuesday’s game due to an ankle injury.
Critchley said: “He’s got a knock so he’s doubtful. We’re assessing him today and fingers crossed he makes it. We’ll see.”
Whether Brewster makes it or not, the Reds are expected to comfortably surpass the record for their most youthful starting line-up when they take on Villa.
The previous milestone was set in January 2017 when Klopp named a team with an average age of just 21 years and 296 days for an FA Cup clash with Plymouth Argyle.
Predicted Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Kelleher; Hoever, Koumetio, Van den Berg, Larouci; Christie-Davies, Kane, Chirivella; Elliott, Brewster, Longstaff.
