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A first win at the Gtech Community Stadium should’ve been a cause for celebration for an injury-hit Liverpool. However, injuries to Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez during the game have ruined what would’ve been a perfect Saturday with Manchester City dropping points to Chelsea.
The injury list now stands at nine strong. Even promising 18-year-old Ben Doak, who would’ve been set to get a chance with Nunez and Jota absent, is out with a knee injury. Jurgen Klopp needs to find solutions from deep within his squad. These solutions then need to take inspiration from how Conor Bradley has shone since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury.
Last Word On Football looks at the academy players who could break through as an injury-hit Liverpool look to continue to compete on all four fronts.
Liverpool Injuries Leave Club Relying On Their Academy
Liverpool Injuries: James McConnell
Curtis Jones’ injury against Brentford means Jurgen Klopp has just four senior midfielders fit. Wataru Endo is unlikely to be risked against Luton Town on February 21 as The Reds play Chelsea in the Carabao Cup Final four days later. The Hatters game may be where James McConnell gets his chance.
The defensive midfielder has played five times for Liverpool this season and started their FA Cup win over Norwich City at Anfield. He has shown natural defensive instincts alongside a calmness on the ball that saw him assist the opener against The Canaries.
The 19-year-old arrived at Anfield from Sunderland at the U15 level and has gradually progressed through the age groups. Stefan Bajcetic’s fitness problems this season have allowed McConnell to be a consistent part of first-team squads. Further injuries may now give him an opportunity to impress on the pitch.
Kaide Gordon
Still just 19, Kaide Gordon has spent the 2023/24 campaign slowly rebuilding a promising career that was halted for 18 months by injury. The young winger was so highly rated at Anfield that he started an away Carabao Cup Semi-Final against Arsenal in January 2022. He also scored his first Liverpool goal in a 4-1 win over Shrewsbury Town.
This season, the 19-year-old has played twice for the first team. He started a 2-1 Europa League defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise before coming on in the later stages of a 4-0 win over Bournemouth. Gordon has goal contributions in his last four games for The Reds’ U21 team and looks ready for another chance at the senior level.
Injury-hit Liverpool have just Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Luis Diaz fit in attack. This means Gordon will get an opportunity if either of those three are rested against Luton or pick up injuries that rule them out of the Carabao Cup Final. The ex-Derby County wonderkid is in the perfect form to take advantage of any chance.
Bobby Clark
Bobby Clark made his Liverpool debut in a 9-0 win over Bournemouth in August 2022. However, he has had to wait for a chance to impress this season. The 19-year-old did not make his first senior appearance of the campaign until a brave performance from the bench at the Emirates in January.
The England U19 international is an attacking midfielder but showed a battling nature in that win over Arsenal. Since then, he has made further appearances from the bench against Bournemouth, Fulham, Chelsea, and Burnley. The Reds rejected loan offers for Clark in January and will be glad they can turn to the talented youngster in light of their recent injury troubles.
The 19-year-old is similar in height to Harvey Elliott, meaning the two are unlikely to be used together in midfield. However, if Elliott is used on the wing, Clark may be given his first Premier League start.
The Reds are lucky they have such a talented academy to turn to despite the number of injuries picked up. Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley have become first-team regulars, and the next few weeks will decide who is next.
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TODAY'S BEST
Al-Nassr move to land Manchester United outcast; offer made
Manchester United outcast Antony attracting interest from Al-Nassr The 2024/25 season has been a graveyard of dreams for Manchester United. Finishing 15th in the Premier League was nothing short of a nightmare. Losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hostpur and then being knocked out of European competition in the 2025/26 season, all of this was embarrassing for a club of United’s stature. Ruben Amorim took charge of the team in the middle of the season, but the damage was too deep to be saved. Now the summer window is already underway, and the club have sent a clear message by adding high-profile players like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo that it’s time to start a new era. Young players like Diogo Leon have also joined Amorim’s plans. At the same time, the process of removing players who are no longer trusted has also accelerated. Antony, on whom the club had once spent £85m, is no longer in Amorim’s plans. A new door opens for Antony? Antony did show some sparks during his loan spell at Real Betis, but it wasn’t enough. Now reports are coming in that Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have made an offer to buy Antony. According to Santi Aouna via X, United are demanding at least €60m. Al-Nassr, who also want to sign Joao Felix, are making a serious bid for Antony. Amorim has made it clear that the Brazilian winger is not part of his plans. Antony’s quality is debatable, but he has so far failed to justify his price tag at Old Trafford. Dribbling in tight spaces, cutting in and shooting, and creativity from outside the box are all his strengths. However, he has not been able to use them to their full potential in the Premier League. Time for tough decisions It is painful to watch Antony’s situation. After spending such a large sum, we expected the 25-year-old winger to be a big contributor to the club for a long time. However, his inconsistent form and struggles in the Premier League have put him out of Amorim’s sights. The Brazilian has shown some improvement at Real Betis, but he wants to stay in Europe, and that is the biggest hurdle. Also, Al-Nassr might not be offering €60m for Antony, given they are quite aware of the situation that we are facing with Antony, so our club demanding that amount sounds unrealistic. Moreover, Antony’s stubbornness could land us in trouble. Amorim has a clear plan—get rid of those whom you don’t trust. Selling Antony could help rebuild the team, but if he doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia, we need to find a club in Europe that will take him on loan and have a buy-back obligation. This will keep Antony’s value intact, and we won’t have to let him go for free. Overall, if no European buyer comes forward, it would be wise to accept Al-Nassr’s offer. It will certainly sting that another expensive player will leave the club for a lesser price, but now decisions will have to be made based on necessity, not emotions. Also, we have to convince Antony somehow if nothing works out with European clubs.
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
Ryne Sandberg’s health was worst-kept secret at HOF induction weekend
Ryne Sandberg died on Monday at 65 after battling prostate cancer. His death came a day after the 2025 class was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Apparently the former second baseman’s health status was the worst-kept secret over the weekend. MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi said on X that Wade Boggs had cried when mentioning Sandberg during an interview with Morosi recently. Boggs had cried because he knew his Hall of Fame classmate of 2005 was in declining health. Veteran MLB reporter Jayson Stark said that there was sadness around Cooperstown as people prepared to hear the news about Sandberg. Sandberg played in Major League Baseball for 16 seasons from 1981-97. He played 15 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and became a beloved figure in the city. Sandberg earned 10 All-Star selections, nine Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards while in Chicago. Sandberg also was named National League MVP in 1984 and led the NL with 40 home runs in the 1990 season. Sandberg first announced in January 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. A positive development then followed in August when Sandberg revealed that tests had detected no more cancer in his body following treatment. However, Sandberg announced just a few months later that his cancer had returned. Additionally, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had spread to his other organs as well. After retiring as a player, Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, his third year on the ballot. He also had his No. 23 retired by the Cubs later that year and briefly had a stint from 2013-15 as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Sandberg’s first MLB team.
Guardians executive opens up about Emmanuel Clase investigation, what comes next
CLEVELAND — Emmanuel Clase is officially off the trading block, and not for the reasons the Cleveland Guardians might have hoped. After Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of MLB’s sports-betting investigation on Monday, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti acknowledged that the high-profile closer wouldn't be a part of any trades before the upcoming MLB trade deadline later this week. "No," Antonetti responded to reporters on Monday afternoon when asked if Clase would potentially be traded. It's a blow to the Guardians, who likely could have received a loaded return had they chosen to move the 27-year-old right-hander. However, with MLB's investigation underway, Clase is now on leave until Aug. 31. It is Major League Baseball's second look at the franchise in terms of potential sports betting following Luis Ortiz being placed on the same kind of leave earlier in July. That means Cleveland is down two relievers, including Clase and his 24 saves posted so far this season. "I think what's important is that we understand what the reality is and figure out how do we move forward from here," Antonetti said. "That's really the focus. "Both guys won't be available to us in the near term, and we need to figure out a way to overcome that. It's not too dissimilar to the moment when players are injured and they're not available to us. We have to find the next group to step up and shoulder a load and find a way to win games. That's really what we're focused on." Antonetti also told reporters that the two relievers will be the last Cleveland players investigated for this type of potential infringement. "We've been informed by Major League Baseball. They were very clear to let us know that they don't expect any other players or staff members," Antonetti said. While Clase may not be off the trading list, Antonetti told reporters it was still very "active" in terms of other teams reaching out to the Guardians around the 6 p.m. (Eastern) Thursday trade deadline. "We're in constant dialogue with a lot of teams," Antonetti said. "We had a lot of dialogue up through this morning and certainly had dialogue over the last few hours. My expectation is that it will continue over the next few days." Antonetti didn't offer a timeline in terms of when Cleveland might hear official rulings from MLB on the investigations. "What I know is that the suspensions are in place through August 31 and then we'll have to see where things are happening," Antonetti said. "Obviously, for everyone, I think you'd prefer to have the clarity sooner rather than later. But I recognize it's a complicated issue and usually baseball has a number of steps they need to work through to complete that investigation." All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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