HOT NEWS: Mateusz Musialowski could give Liverpool difficult transfer decision as new gem unearthed

Mateusz Musialowski impressed for Liverpool Under-21s in their EFL Trophy defeat at Blackpool

The ‘Polish Messi’ attracted interest from clubs both in his homeland and Austria, only for a move to not be agreed. Out of contract next summer, you’d be forgiven for thinking the writing was on the wall regarding his Reds future.

But the 19-year-old seemingly has other ideas. Whether fighting for a new contract or using this season as a shop window, his impressive start to the new season continues.

While he went viral in the Academy as a tricky winger, Musialowski is currently thriving as a central striker. And Blackpool’s fiist team were the latest side he tormented in the EFL Trophy as the young Reds came out on the wrong side of a 5-2 loss last night.

In the past, the Pole would have perhaps struggled with the physicality of such a challenge, but that is something you can accuse him of no longer. A constant thorn in Blackpool’s defence until succumbing to cramp late on, the Seasiders were unable to contain him throughout.

It was his quick awareness that created Liverpool’s opener, stealing possession in midfield before threading the ball through to Paul Glatzel with an inch-perfect through ball. He then produced a composed finish to equalise shortly after the hour mark, after Rich O’Donnell’s save fell kindly to him.

Having also scored against Morecambe in the young Reds’ 3-0 win first time out, he now has four goals and two assists from six appearances in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy this season. And while a first-team debut might still elude him, he has again delivered against Football League opposition.

Keep it up and Liverpool will have a difficult decision to make about his future as he navigates this final year of his contract.

Fab Fabian

It perhaps went unnoticed that Fabian Mrozek was on the bench for Liverpool first team for the first time last week as they defeated Union SG in the Europa League. While an unforgettable night for the Reds, it is inevitably an experience the shot-stopper himself will cherish.

Against Blackpool he made his first appearance since that Thursday night win. And although he ultimately had to pick the ball out of the back of his net on five occasions, he was very much one of Liverpool’s star performers.

He made a number of magnificent saves in the first half, including one full-stretch dive to deny Jake Beesley early on and a David Seaman-esque grasp to keep out the same player’s header from a corner, clawing the ball back off the line when a goal had looked certain.

It was Mrozek’s foul on Beesley that led to Blackpool’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time, tripping the forward outside of his area after the Seasiders man looked to round him. Covering defenders ensured a yellow card was enough of a punishment, with no VAR on EFL Trophy duty to force a second look. Either way, he more than deserved his reprieve.

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Alas, he could do nothing about Albie Morgan’s free-kick to level the scores, nor Kylian Kouassi’s second-half hat-trick and Andy Lyons’ late cherry on the cake. But conceding five goals was very much harsh on the goalkeeper.

Liverpool have developed a knack of bringing talented young goalkeepers through the Academy in recent years. On this evidence, in Mrozek, they have unearthed another.

Tough test for Nallo

Amara Nallo unsurprisingly hasn’t gathered the same attention as fellow summer signing Trey Nyoni during the opening weeks of the season at the Academy.

After all, while the former West Ham United man is the one to have already stepped up to Under-21s football in Premier League 2, it is the ex-Leicester City midfielder who has three goals from three games for Liverpool U18s.

Both still only 16, they are just at the start of their respective Reds journeys. Yet Nallo was already making his third start for the Under-21s on Tuesday night, in contrast to Nyoni who has been limited to an 89th=minute substitute showing in the Premier League international Cup for Barry Lewtas’ side. Coming against a side that were in the Championship last season, it was inevitably his toughest challenge yet.