Virgil van Dijk absence could hand Ki-Jana Hoever chance to stake Liverpool claim

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Liverpool will look to add another trophy to their bulging cabinet on Sunday when they face Flamengo in the final of the Club World Cup in Doha.

The Reds set up the contest thanks to a somewhat fortuitous 2-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were forced to win the contest with a makeshift defence.

Virgil van Dijk’s illness saw him join Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip on the treatment table, with Jordan Henderson filling in at centre-back.

The £180,000-a-week (Spotrac) Dutchman might not return for Sunday and that leaves Liverpool with cause for concern.

Ki-Jana Hoever has linked up with the squad ahead of the final and he could be set for a huge baptism of fire.

The youngster missed the semi-final to play in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. A young Liverpool team were thrashed 5-0 but the following day Hoever, Sepp van den Berg and Caoimhin Kelleher made the trip to Qatar.

Given the fitness concern to Liverpool’s talismanic defender, it seems likely that Hoever will get the nod.

The 17-year-old is destined for big things and starting him against Flamengo would allow Henderson to return to midfield.

Potential

It will represent a real test for the Dutch starlet. He won’t have faced a team as physically strong as the Brazilians and he will need to stand up.

Hoever is widely regarded as a future Liverpool regular. If he can perform against Flamengo it would go some distance to reiterating that point.

The teenager will relish the chance to get more minutes under his belt and he will hope to impress.

Klopp has shown that he isn’t afraid to place his trust in youth.

With defensive injuries mounting up, Hoever could prove to his manager that he is capable of handling the demands of men’s football on a more frequent basis.