Liverpool youngster Trey Nyoni continues to impress in his minutes for the senior team so far this season, with Andoni Iraola making his thoughts on the midfielder clear

Andoni Iraola outlined the trust and faith he has in Liverpool midfielder Trey Nyoni as the youngster pushes for senior team minutes once again this season.

The 19-year-old had a breakout campaign last time out under Arne Slot, but with the exit of Curtis Jones in the summer, there was an opportunity for even more chances in the team under his successor.

So far, Iraola has placed plenty of trust in the Liverpool academy graduate, giving him important moments to shine with starts in the Champions League and League Cup, alongside some appearances from the bench in the Premier League.

There was a huge show of faith over the weekend when the head coach decided to throw Nyoni straight into the deep end against the champions, Arsenal, handing the midfielder his first start in the Premier League on such a huge occasion.

While an early yellow card meant he had to walk a tightrope for most of the match, the England youth international stood up to the task and exited Anfield as one of the standout performers for the 59 minutes he was on the field, even though his side walked out on the wrong end of the result.

It was the kind of match that asserted, once again, that the star is capable of playing at the top level without looking out of place. With Ryan Gravenberch now unavailable through injury, with a heel problem that has to be assessed on a day-to-day basis, Nyoni could land even more minutes with matches against Fenerbahce and Crystal Palace on the horizon.

Ahead of the meeting in the Champions League, Iraola was asked about that opportunity for Nyoni, to which he responded: "I think he has to continue in the same place he has been since the beginning of the pre-season.

"Being ready for every game, I think he is playing most of the games or even all the games lately. So we trust him, he is doing very well, and we have to encourage him to continue. Continue improving, continue learning, continue adding experience, but he is in a very good place."

One of the toughest judgement calls for a manager to make is knowing when a young player can be relied on, with there being a difference between potential and clear output on the pitch.

When asked about that in relation to Nyoni, Iraola responded: "Young players are ready when they play 20 or 65 [minutes], maybe a full game. It's about endurance.

"You know they are not going to get tired but you need to add that to their body. Rio [Ngumoha], Trey [Nyoni], Lewis [Koumas], they are playing important minutes and I am happy with them."

It's the type of message that certainly sends a positive message to the younger players, with those currently in the squad clearly being relied upon, while those currently in the academy ranks can also see a clear route to the senior team if they can perform to the highest level.

While the likes of Nyoni, Ngumoha, and Koumas are all still fighting to find where their place in the pecking order may be, the manager certainly made it clear that he is happy with the options at his disposal.