"Bright spark" - Klopp could hand Liverpool youngster senior debut in Carabao Cup, he's ready to be unleashed

Liverpool could hand a surprise debut to a Reds youngster as a replacement for Mohamed Salah when they take on Derby County in the Carabao Cup tonight.

The Reds have been drawn against League One opposition for the third round of the Carabao Cup, with Jurgen Klopp's side kicking their campaign off at Anfield.

Paul Warne's side, meanwhile, have been in poor form in the third tier, winning just one of their last four matches.

They will, therefore, see a trip to high-level Premier League opponents as the perfect opportunity to gain some momentum to take them into the rest of the season.

With Liverpool in action on Saturday, in a crunch clash against Southampton, it could be that the Reds decide to rotate some players for tonight's cup fixture.

Coupled with several injuries to key players, it could also be a chance to give some much-needed rest to stars who have featured prominently in the Premier League and Champions League campaigns so far.

With that in mind, there is one young star in particular that Klopp could hand an opportunity to against the Rams:

Liverpool debut for Ben Doak?

Liverpool have a history of unleashing young talent in the Carabao Cup in recent seasons. For instance, Harvey Blair made his senior debut in last season's fourth round against Preston North End, with Conor Bradley playing in the previous round against Norwich City.

The Liverpool Echo have backed young starlet Ben Doak to be in contention against Derby, with the 16-year-old having impressed at youth level this season.

He has netted four goals in six games in the UEFA Youth League - the youth variation of the Champions League - with Liverpool topping their group ahead of Ajax, Rangers and Napoli.

The feat is made more impressive by the fact that Doak lines up alongside and against a majority of 18-year-old players, meaning he is effectively operating at a level higher than his age group.

Liverpool's official website also referred to the Scotland youth international as a 'bright spark'.

This was after the Reds U21 side beat Fulham 3-1 in Premier League 2 on Sunday.

Doak, who was formerly on the books at Celtic before joining Liverpool, certainly looks to have a very bright future - and he perhaps could be unleashed against the Rams tonight.