Tyler Morton is in line to start for Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but may yet depart Anfield before the January transfer window slams shut.
The 22-year-old midfielder has been limited to appearances in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup so far this season and admitted after Liverpool's 4-0 win over Accrington Stanley earlier this month that he was frustrated with his lack of game time and that he may have to be "selfish" for the good of his career, whether that means a loan move or a permanent transfer.
"Definitely, it's been tough for me this season minutes-wise," Morton said after the Accrington win. "I think I've handled it very well. I've kept my head down, given it everything every day. I think I do deserve a chance. I got the chance today, hopefully people think I took it.
"I think I had a good game. It was exciting, when you don't get many chances, it's rare, you've got to take them and I think I did today. This month is obviously a big month for myself. It's decision time.
"I think I'm ready to kick on and be a proper professional. Definitely, I think I'm ready to kick on now and ready to move up a step. If that's here or if that's somewhere else, football's football. I've got to go and be a bit selfish and go with however I feel."
Morton is set to make his first appearance in Europe this season when Liverpool take on PSV Eindhoven in their final game in the revamped league phase of the Champions League. Arne Slot's side have already advanced directly to the round of 16, meaning the Dutchman has decided to rest Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch.
"The players don't need to prove themselves," Slot said of the players coming into the side. "We know what their quality is, but we are playing many, many games and the ones we left behind could have played but we need to think long-term.
"If you look back at our season and the players who play all the time, we always try to give them a break after three, four or five weeks when it's the League Cup or FA Cup to help them get their freshness back.
"It has taken me a while to understand this new format but I'm now 100% sure it doesn't matter if you end up first or second because we are guaranteed to play the team that is 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th (in the last 16), and then it's down to the draw. We can't drop to third.
"It has no impact on the league table but we will be trying to win. A wise man once said to me he's never seen anything good come from losing a game. 13 or 14 players have mostly shared the playing time so it will also be good to get other players into a game-rhythm as well because we will need them if we start to get injuries. The squad is a choice for the long term."
"Definitely, it's been tough for me this season minutes-wise," Morton said after the Accrington win. "I think I've handled it very well. I've kept my head down, given it everything every day. I think I do deserve a chance. I got the chance today, hopefully people think I took it.
"I think I had a good game. It was exciting, when you don't get many chances, it's rare, you've got to take them and I think I did today. This month is obviously a big month for myself. It's decision time.
"I think I'm ready to kick on and be a proper professional. Definitely, I think I'm ready to kick on now and ready to move up a step. If that's here or if that's somewhere else, football's football. I've got to go and be a bit selfish and go with however I feel."
Morton is set to make his first appearance in Europe this season when Liverpool take on PSV Eindhoven in their final game in the revamped league phase of the Champions League. Arne Slot's side have already advanced directly to the round of 16, meaning the Dutchman has decided to rest Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch.
"The players don't need to prove themselves," Slot said of the players coming into the side. "We know what their quality is, but we are playing many, many games and the ones we left behind could have played but we need to think long-term.
"If you look back at our season and the players who play all the time, we always try to give them a break after three, four or five weeks when it's the League Cup or FA Cup to help them get their freshness back.
"It has taken me a while to understand this new format but I'm now 100% sure it doesn't matter if you end up first or second because we are guaranteed to play the team that is 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th (in the last 16), and then it's down to the draw. We can't drop to third.
"It has no impact on the league table but we will be trying to win. A wise man once said to me he's never seen anything good come from losing a game. 13 or 14 players have mostly shared the playing time so it will also be good to get other players into a game-rhythm as well because we will need them if we start to get injuries. The squad is a choice for the long term."
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