Pochettino’s next call regarding Marcus Edwards would have showed just how ready his manager thought he was

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The Tottenham Hotspur teenager should have featured at some point against Liverpool this week were it not for his injury setback.

Later this week Tottenham Hotspur travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the fourth round of the EFL Cup, and Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to make a number of changes to his starting line-up.

Some of the club’s next generation could well start, but while fans were desperate to see more of Marcus Edwards from the kick-off, the 17-year-old’s knee injury means he will not be available even from the bench.

The sheer intensity of an evening cup match at Anfield meant Pochettino may not have thrown the young midfielder in at the deep end even if he was available.

While the likes of Josh Onomah and Harry Winks should start they have a lot more experience of first-team football than Edwards, and the sensible option could have been to wait and give him his first start in the more encouraging surroundings of White Hart Lane.

In fact, Tuesday’s clash would have shown just how ready Pochettino believes Edwards is, because if the player had been available and his manager had defied expectations and played the 17-year-old from the beginning, it would have proved categorically that he has complete faith not only in the player’s talent (which is undeniable) but in his ability to handle the biggest of occasions.

That is where many young players fall short, so if Pochettino had thrown something of a curveball and started the Tottenham wonder-kid this week, it would have shown that Edwards was – in the eyes of his manager – ready to step into the spotlight for a headline role rather than a few late cameos.

Alas it was not to be, and that is a major blow both for a player tipped for greatness in North London and the fans desperate to see him play more often.

His time will come; there is no doubt about that. But one wonders if Edwards would have lit up Anfield if handed the chance and when exactly his next opportunity will present itself if Spurs cannot overcome Jurgen Klopp’s side on the night.