Liverpool U21s gave a subtle hint about Cody Gakpo’s availability for the upcoming Manchester City game after a 1-0 win over its Stoke counterparts.
James McConnell scored the only goal, which came from a deflection. Missing defenders Terence Miles, Josh Davidson to injury and Rio Ngumoha, who is away on international duty, coach Barry Lewtas called up left-back Clae Ewing for his debut, and the 18-year-old delivered an impressive performance.
The Reds weathered Stoke’s early pressure and relied on their running power to secure the win. Harvey Davies also made a crucial late save to preserve the victory, which ended a five-match winless streak for the U21s.
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The inclusion of McConnell and Trey Nyoni, who both played 90 minutes on Friday night, could indicate Gakpo might be fit for the senior squad against Pep Guardiola's side.
With a 19-man squad excluding Gakpo and third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, it suggests that the forward could take the final spot for Sunday’s game.
The Dutchman hasn't featured for in the Reds last two games after sustaining an ankle injury during the Merseyside Derby.
At a press conference on Thursday, Arne Slot confirmed that Gakpo's availability for the City game will be decided last minute as he had not yet featured in team training.
"Let's see, I hope so," said Slot. "He hasn't trained with the team yet. Maybe he does a bit today, I don't know exactly. It will be a close call."
Gakpo’s absence was noticeable in Liverpool’s draw with Aston Villa, where Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez both missed key opportunities. As a result, Liverpool dropped two points and missed the chance to extend their lead to 10 points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
