Liverpool have three youngsters who could make Champions League final squad vs Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti previews Champions League final v Liverpool

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Tyler Morton, Rhys Williams and Owen Beck all trained with Liverpool’s first-team squad on Wednesday with the trio all being given a chance to make the club’s 23-man match-day squad for the Champions League final on Saturday. The Reds take on 13-time European champions Real Madrid as they seek a seventh success in the competition and their second against Los Blancos in Paris.

And there was a welcome boost with Fabinho in full training, although there was no Thiago Alcantara who is battling an injury. The Spaniard will be given every chance to prove his fitness as he tries to at least make the substitutes’ bench. He did a light session in the gym with the club’s head physio while his team-mates trained outside.

Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed Divock Origi will miss out through injury but with Thiago’s involvement uncertain, Morton, Williams and Beck are being given a chance to make the squad. Liverpool can name a 12-man bench for the final and are granted five substitutes on the night, though only at three points in a match.

Centre-back Williams is the most experienced of the trio with the 21-year-old amassing 19 appearances for the club, though he has managed just two this season. Neither came in the Champions League but he started in all four games against Midtjylland and Atalanta last season.

Left-back Beck, the nephew of Liverpool legend Ian Rush, has only played 10 minutes for the senior side in two appearances off the bench in the Carabao Cup. The 19-year-old was an unused sub in the Premier League three times this term but has never made a Champions League match-day squad.

While 19-year-old midfielder Morton racked up nine first-team appearances this season. That included starts in Champions League group stage wins over Porto and AC Milan at the San Siro. He also started in a Premier League match away at Tottenham.

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Morton is perhaps the likeliest of the trio to be involved in the squad given he could replace Thiago as a midfield option. Liverpool have ample cover at centre-back and left-back for the trip to the capital of France. Virgil van Dijk should start but Klopp has to pick between Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate to partner the Dutchman. Joe Gomez is also back from injury and can be deployed in central defence if needed.

FA Cup final hero Kostas Tsimikas will be the deputy to Andy Robertson on the left of the back four, meaning Williams or Beck are highly unlikely to play if they do make the squad. Fabinho, captain Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita is the likely midfield three if Thiago does not start.

Morton could then join James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott as the midfield options on the bench if Thiago is ruled out of being among the subs. Morton is the most suited to a holding role from those players and may therefore be a more necessary asset to have in reserve than Williams and Beck.

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