Skip to content
At least five Liverpool stars can benefit as Jürgen Klopp eyes Bukayo Saka and Arsenal repeat
There’s a lot of silver linings for Liverpool at the end of the season. Jürgen Klopp’s side is approaching the last game of the campaign on an unbeaten run in the Premier League, and while there is a lot to fix in the summer, this late spring form will be encouragement for the Reds to get back to their best next season.
Unfortunately, it seems like Liverpool has had to pay the price for its early inconsistency this season. It looks almost certain now that Klopp’s men will end up playing European football not on Tuesday or Wednesday, but on Thursday nights in the Europa League instead. Only a late and dramatic development that sees Manchester United lose both its last two Premier League games can change that now.
At first glance, this will be a disappointment to many. There is no denying the Champions League has more allure, money and prestige in it. It’s the competition everyone wants to be in.
READ MORE: Jürgen Klopp can soon sign own Martin Ødegaard as Liverpool ‘in queue’ for 10-goal $32m transfer
READ MORE: Liverpool might be about to sign another Philippe Coutinho as Jürgen Klopp can get what he needs
However, Liverpool is in the process of rebuilding and sometimes in order to do that you have to take one step back to take two steps forward.
The Europa League has its charm, too, and its prestige, especially for Liverpool, which is the joint-second-most successful club in the competition behind Sevilla.
It can also be used as a springboard for Klopp’s rebuild, much in the same way Mikel Arteta has used it for years, culminating in the Arsenal title push.
In the early rounds, the level of opposition is usually not at the same level as a Premier League side. For multiple seasons, Arsenal used the group-stages in particular to bed some of the club’s youngsters into the first team and give them hugely important exposure to European football.
Players who are now key stars in the Premier League like Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka first made their mark in the Europa League. For example, it is where Saka made his first appearance for Arsenal’s first team. He also scored his first senior goal for the club in Europe’s second-string tournament. Martinelli, meanwhile made only his second start for Arsenal in the competition, and scored a brace.
The duo and countless others have made their mark in the competition for the Gunners, and the way they have been integrated into the first team is an example Klopp could take from Arteta as Liverpool embarks on its own Europa League adventure.
Klopp has a lot of talented players at his disposal who could benefit from more regular game time in European football. For example, Harvey Elliott could use the Europa League as a springboard to make his mark. The same goes for Stefan Bajčetić and the returning Tyler Morton, who will be fighting for first team minutes in a far more competitive Liverpool side next season.
Sign up for our EXCLUSIVE Liverpool.com newsletter!
If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love our Liverpool.com newsletter — every weekday, we send exclusive, bonus content only to people signed up for our mailing list!
Our newsletter subscribers get a rundown Monday to Friday from one of the best Liverpool FC writers — straight to your inbox, and completely for free.
Wherever you are in the world — in the US, the UK or further afield — you don’t want to miss out.
Sign up to the Liverpool.com newsletter here — it only takes a few seconds!
Ben Doak and Fábio Carvalho could also benefit by Liverpool qualifying for the Europa League, though that depends on whether they are sent out on loan in the summer.
Other academy players who might not have even made an appearance at first team level could be handed their debuts, too. There’s plenty of talent in the club’s youth ranks, and Liverpool’s involvement in the competition will mean more opportunities to make their mark at senior level.
Liverpool will want to be in the Champions League; there is no doubt that it carries the most benefits for the club. However, one season in the Europa League could also aid Klopp’s progress at Anfield.
