Trey Nyoni is pushing to start his first Premier League game for Liverpool on Saturday – and the teenage midfielder says he styles his game on Anfield icon Thiago.
The 19-year-old believes he has a stone-cold calmness and is thankful for the trust instilled in him by boss Andoni Iraola.
With Ryan Gravenberch suspended and Dominik Szoboszlai a doubt for the trip to Brentford, Nyoni makes sense to start after excelling in the 6-3 win at LASK on Wednesday night.
Asked who he models his composed game on, Nyoni said: ‘For me, I always watch players like Thiago. For me, Thiago, yeah, he is the guy!’
He added: ‘I don’t feel nervous at all, I don’t get nervous. With all the hard work I have put in to get to this moment and position, no.
‘I just want to show the manager and everyone what I can do, show the fans what I can do. I feel like in games like Wednesday, people have travelled a long way to see us play so I want to give them something back.
‘The manager has given me a lot of trust. He has given me so much responsibility. Ever since he came in, he has tried to make my life easy. He is helping a lot to adapt to the new position I am playing right now. I still have a lot of work to keep improving but right now I feel good.’
Nyoni is just one of several youngsters trusted by new boss Iraola.
Trey Nyoni was excellent in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LASK on Wednesday
Thiago won the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2022 and was a popular figure during his four-year spell at Anfield
Fellow teenager Rio Ngumoha, has elbowed his way into regular starts and has impressed England boss Thomas Tuchel.
‘He knows he is elite at certain things,’ said Iraola on Ngumoha, 18. ‘If you want to put someone one versus one then Rio is one of the best players you would choose because he is difficult to contain. There are areas he has to improve, especially without the ball.
‘Body wise he is becoming stronger and I think he is in a good place. Obviously I had seen him play and we had played against him (at Bournemouth) but for us it is a privilege to have Rio in the team because he has just become 18.
‘He has already played some minutes with the national team and that is not something normal.’
Forward Lewis Koumas is also a favourite of the manager because of his relentless off-the-ball work and unselfish team play.
When asked about the young players keeping experienced heads out of the side, Koumas said: ‘There is a buzz and it gives us all a motivation to keep going. We are getting chances but, ultimately, it is because we are good enough.
‘Trey and Rio are unbelievable and, if you are good enough it doesn’t matter how old you are.
Lewis Koumas is another Liverpool youngster making an impression – and scored his first senior goal for the club against LASK
‘Every time you see them play… look at Trey, how mature he is and how he manages the game. He dictates how the game is going to go. He’s 19! He shows levels all the time.’
Koumas missed a chance at 0-0 against Manchester City last week and added: ‘I couldn’t really sleep (after). I just kept thinking about the chance, to be honest. I feel like I couldn’t have hit it any better.
‘The keeper (Gianluigi Donnarumma) is huge and he was just in the right place and I think in normal circumstances it goes in.
‘I just want to keep on improving. You never know when your last game is going to be. I know that sounds like a cliche but it is true. Alex (Isak) will be back soon training, Cody (Gakpo) will be fit soon. I have just got to keep pushing every chance I get.
‘I was thinking about the chance all night. It was the only one I had in the game and I honestly couldn’t have hit it better but I was absolutely gutted it never went in.’
