With confirmation of the date and time for the club's third-round Capital One Cup fixture, Liverpool's dangerously thin squad is set face the first real challenge to its depth at the end of September, shortly after players return from the current international break.
A trip to the Hawthornes on Wednesday, September 26th for an evening kickoff in the newly renamed League Cup becomes the third match of four in what could be a wearying ten day stretch as Liverpool also face Young Boys in Bern on the 20th, host Manchester United on the 23rd, and travel to Norwich City on the 29th.
Of the four, and despite the potential embarrassment of exiting after their first game in the competition, the League Cup seems the most likely match for manager Brendan Rodgers to play a deliberately weakened squad in. The problem, though, is that after losing almost all of the club's veteran depth over the summer, playing a weakened squad may just about mean the entire U18 side—minus Raheem Sterling and plus Joe Cole.
For those hoping to see youth given a chance this could be considered a good thing, though most would likely prefer if Liverpool's most promising youngsters could be sprinkled in alongside veterans to gain experience rather than having them collectively thrown in the deep end all at once.