Liverpool’s Rhys Williams could be set for a surprise return to the Liverpool squad to face Southampton, having trained with the first team ahead of the League Cup tie.
Williams last featured in the Reds’ first team squad in May 2023, with his last appearance coming two years previous to that.
Now, the 24-year-old could return to the senior team after Liverpool U21s boss Rob Page told media, including The Redmen TV‘s Dan Clubbe, that five of his academy players trained with Arne Slot on Sunday.
Along with Williams, Jayden Danns, Tommy Pilling, Kieran Morrison and Kaide Gordon also made the step up to first team training.
Asked if them missing the under-21s’ match on Sunday was with Tuesday’s League Cup match in mind, Page replied: “Potentially, yeah.
“The first team’s schedule at the minute is intense, to say the least. So they’ve got off to an incredible start and we’re there to support them whenever we can.
“And if that is with one eye on Tuesday, then so be it. You know, we’ll see if there are any changes that need to be made. The manager will make that decision.
“But we’re there to support him and today there were a few players that needed to step up and it’s great. It’s great to see them, you know, over there training with the first team.”
Rhys Williams likely to start on the bench
With Slot to rotate his side heavily – he has already said Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah will not be involved – there will be room for youngsters in the squad.
Given Van Dijk and Konate’s absence, Williams will likely start on the bench, as Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni line up at centre-back for the first time this season.
Liverpool also have Wataru Endo who can deputise in defence, but he will probably play in midfield with Curtis Jones and Trey Nyoni or Alexis Mac Allister.
In attack, Rio Ngumoha should start alongside two of Alexander Isak, Federico Chiesa and Danns. Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to make his debut in goal.
Rhys Williams’ career path
Having initially broken through during an injury crisis and heroically helped Liverpool to Champions League qualification in 2021, playing next to Nat Phillips in defence, Williams’ career hasn’t progressed as he would have hoped.
Following his stint in Jurgen Klopp‘s side, he signed a long-term contract, which doesn’t expire until 2026, and went on loan to Swansea where he managed just seven appearances before returning for the second half of the campaign.
Next came a loan to Blackpool in which he played 17 times, followed by a six-month spell at Aberdeen that failed to yield a single minute of game time for the defender.
He was recalled from Aberdeen and went out to Port Vale, but that experience lasted just 16 days due to injury.
Finally, he regained some consistency at Morecambe last season. Though they finished bottom of the fourth division, Williams started 37 games for the Shrimps and re-found his fitness.
With just a year left on his contract, he returned to Liverpool this summer and has since captained the youth team in a 2-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Burton.
While his return to first team involvement won’t herald a new beginning at the club for Williams, it is nice to see him get some recognition after a difficult few years.