Arne Slot guided Liverpool to a 6-0 win over Qarabag on Wednesday, but the game was not without its issues.
Prior to the match, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate were ruled out due to injury and personal reasons.
Then, inside the first 45 minutes, Jeremie Frimpong was injured, with an exact timeframe for his return yet to be confirmed.
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On top of Frimpong, Gomez and Konate’s absences, Conor Bradley is out for the remainder of the season, along with Giovanni Leoni.
It means Liverpool have no fit senior right-backs and Virgil van Dijk is the only available centre-back at present.
To combat this issue, Wataru Endo was used at right-back, and Ryan Gravenberch started the Qarabag win alongside Van Dijk.
Who on earth is playing at right-back for Liverpool vs Newcastle?
The rest of the XI picks itself, surely?
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Newcastle
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Arne Slot slammed for use of Liverpool Academy
However, the decisions made by Slot for the midweek action have not gone down well with Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony.
The Posh chief took particular issue with the Liverpool coach’s use of his Academy, and questioned why players like Van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai were not given more of a rest.
In a heated rant for Sky Sports, he said: “They’ve got some terrific talent. What would happen last night at 5-0 up against Qarabag if we brought on an 18-year-old centre back and given him the last 30 minutes instead of Virgil van Dijk? Rested Van Dijk, took him off the pitch. Do you think they’re throwing away a 4/5-0 lead.
“Liverpool were 5-0 up in the 65th minute, couldn’t you have brought on an 18-year-old?
“My manager [Peterborough] had 11 defenders missing, he put in an 18-year-old who’d never played for the first team, he was Man of the Match.
“You know how valuable that was. He didn’t go putting a midfielder in a centre back, he put a centre back in. Why can’t Slot do the same?
“You may as well walk down the hall to your Academy and say, ‘hey guys we’re going to shut this door here because there’s no point in having you’.
“If we’re not going to use an Academy centre half now, when are they ever going to do it? When is that player going to break through? It’s the one question mark I have over Slot, the Academy.
MacAnthony also mentioned how Jurgen Klopp utilised Liverpool’s Academy much more effectively.
He continued: “Jurgen Klopp won a League Cup with a load of Academy players in the squad, do you remember that one against Chelsea?
“How many Academy players did they have in the squad, how many youngsters did he play in a cup final? Do you think Slot would do that? Won’t even bring a centre half on when they’re 5-0 up and give Van Dijk a rest.
“What was Szoboszlai playing, what did he play 80-90 minutes last night? Most played player for Liverpool this season. You’re 5-0 up, he should have been off at half-time. You going to burn him out next, and then complain about too many minutes some of the players are getting. Why was he on the pitch?”
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Credit: Liverpool FC/Getty Images
We are yet to win a Premier League game in 2026…
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Premier League minutes of Liverpool Academy stars in 2025/26
There are a few obvious standouts in Liverpool’s academy right now, but they are seeing little playing time this season.
Rio Ngumoha has seen the most action of any youngster this term, yet he’s only featured for 76 minutes across eight league matches.
Trey Nyoni has played a grand total of two Premier League minutes during 2025/26 so far.
Elsewhere, Kieran Morrison and Amara Nallo are yet to feature in the top tier of English football under Slot this season.
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