Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder drops a huge hint about Rhian Brewster's likely involvement against his former club Liverpool

Brewster became the most expensive player in United’s history when he completed a £23.5m move from the Premier League champions earlier this month, but made his debut from the bench when Wilder’s side drew with Fulham last weekend.

Although that result saw United claim their first point of the new campaign, following defeats by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, Leeds and Arsenal, it left them still without a win since competition resumed last month. Saturday’s visit to Anfield sees Wilder’s side attempt to become the first team to beat the reigning Premier League champions on home soil since Chelsea’s victory there in September 2018.

Explaining Brewster was eased into action in order to lessen the risk of him joining Jack O’Connell, John Fleck and Lys Mousset on the treatment table, Wilder said: “No, there would be no hesitation about putting Rhian in. He’s pushing, his natural talent and ability is there to be seen and everybody here has spotted that already.”

“It was just from the physical side of it, not opening him up to injury,” he continued, explaining why Brewster did not make his full debut against Scott Parker’s side. “We don’t want to damage him early on in his Sheffield United career, we want him to play.”

Brewster, aged 20, was regarded as one of the most talented graduates to emerge from Liverpool’s youth programme in recent years; scoring 11 times in 22 appearances during a spell on loan with Swansea City last term, ahead of his switch to South Yorkshire. It is a measure of Jurgen Klopp’s belief in Brewster that, despite acknowledging he was unlikely to dislodge Mo Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino from his first choice line-up, the German insisted a buy back clause was inserted into the deal which took him to Bramall Lane.

“He’s definitely in our thoughts to start on Saturday,” Wilder said. “An extra week’s training has done him good and he’s been really bright and bubbly.”

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