20-year-old Irish defender named in Liverpool squad for Man United visit
Irish defender Conor Masterson has been named in Liverpool's squad to face Man United on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp is facing somewhat of a defensive crisis ahead of the clash at Anfield with three key defenders missing.
Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold (foot) and Joel Matip (broken collarbone) this week joined Joe Gomez (fractured leg) on the injury list, leaving the Reds boss with just two fit centre-halves in Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren.
20-year-old centre-back Masterson was an unused sub in last April's Merseyside derby and since the end of last season has trained regularly with the senior team.
The Dubliner has been a regular for the under-23 team which currently sits top of the Premier League 2 table.
Klopp admitted that his defender headache is unlikely to force him into the January transfer window.
"A crisis is if you feel it is a crisis. With Trent, it's not as serious as with the other two boys, but of course it's not top class news, that's clear," he said.
"Our situation is like this: if you would have asked me two weeks before if we were doing anything in the transfer window I would have said probably not.
"Now we have two centre-halves left. Will we do something? Not really likely because they are not out for (long)."
The good news for Liverpool is right-back Nathaniel Clyne has returned to the fitness.
Alisson, Milner, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Mignolet, Moreno, Masterson, Phillips, Henderson, Keita, Sturridge, Origi, Camacho.
