Liverpool Under-21 manager Barry Lewtas has praised the “little experience” midfielder Dominic Corness has brought to his team, hinting he could stay.
Corness was part of Arne Slot’s pre-season with the first team after a loan spell in Switzerland last season, but then returned to the U21 team.
This saw him start the crusade with purpose and help in the 3-1 win over Manchester City on Saturday, as one of the team’s oldest players.
Corness, who turned 21 in May, had hoped to leave the club this summer, either on loan or even permanently.
But speaking on the club’s official online website after his team’s first win this season, Lewtas hinted that his No. 6 could remain one of his “coaches on the pitch”.
“He had a good year on loan last year and obviously this year he’s come back and he’s also bringing a bit of joy to the group,” Lewtas explained.
“In U21 football, the first part of the season is a period of transition: the players leave, the players stay?
“He adds a little bit of stability at the moment and he’s probably helping me as a coach as well.
“Sometimes having some coaches on the field also helps, and Dom is one of them, he has a wonderful appreciation for the game. “
The three goalscorers opposing Manchester City (Corness, James Norris and Tom Hill) are 21 years old, an age older than Liverpool’s academy, which is made up of high-potential teenagers.
But with a host of players absent from this clash ahead of their likely departure from Anfield this summer, it may be that the trio remain leaders of a different young team.
“The older guys (Dom, Tom, James Norris) today I felt like there were times in the game where you wanted seniority and players who could really help the younger guys,” he said. -Lewtas continued-.
“The younger players were great, but I give big credit to the ones who are a little older today, who guided the performance. “
Liverpool have already accepted a £10m bid from Salzburg for Bobby Clark, while they are open to permanent bids for Ben Doak, Tyler Morton, Rhys Williams and Harvey Blair.
With Stefan Bajcetic and James McConnell likely to go out on loan, and Trey Nyoni set to start in the first team, the U21s may lack characteristics in midfield.
Retaining Corness as “field coach”, at least until January, may offer a solution to Liverpool.
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