Ojo overcame another hurdle on his comeback trail, by completing 90 minutes in a game for the Reds’ under-23 side.
Sheyi Ojo appeared to take another step back towards the first team last night, as he played a full 90 minutes in the Liverpool under-23’s 1-1 draw in the Premier League Cup against West Bromwich Albion.
Ojo featured on 11 occasions for the Reds’ first team during the second half of last season. The 19-year-old was offered the opportunity to impress Jürgen Klopp when the Liverpool boss often heavily rotated his side to deal with a congested fixture schedule which saw his side reach both the League Cup final and Europa League final.
He was last seen prominently on the pre-season tour of the United States but a back injury, and a further setback, means he hasn’t had a look in when it comes to the first team this season.
Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo in action with Swansea’s Kyle Naughton
Now, Liverpool are at a stage in the season when some of their options have become a little more stretched – especially in the final third. Danny Ings has suffered another cruel knee injury meaning he’s sidelined for the rest of the season, Philippe Coutinho is unlikely to be back until the new year with an ankle injury while Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems have returned.
Adam Lallana has only just returned to fitness, and Liverpool’s options from the bench have now started to look that little bit scarce.
Klopp seemed to indicate there was still some work to do last week when asked about Ojo at his usual pre-match press conference, suggesting there are more minutes and time on the training ground required before he is considered for selection again.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp with Sheyi Ojo
A busy period of the season is upon Liverpool, and they wouldn’t want their resources to be stretched further, but it could present an opportunity for Ojo when Premier League games are coming around quickly, as well as the side’s commitments in the cup competitions.
There are going to be times when Klopp will need to make changes, and then there’s Sadio Mane’s absence in January when he heads to the African Cup of Nations with Senegal.
There is increased competition for Ojo – notably in the form of Ben Woodburn – but another pacey wide player with presence in a side that doesn’t have that many of them to offer can have a role to play this season. When Liverpool’s fixture list starts to get busier, Ojo should have some more fitness under his belt, and then he might be ready to make his impact felt on their season.
Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo (R) in action with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta
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