Federico Chiesa makes feelings clear on lack of Liverpool action after first 90 minutes

Federico Chiesa has made it clear he wants more involvement at Liverpool after being handed a rare outing.

The Italian was Arne Slot's only major signing in the summer, but the ex-Juventus man has barely featured for the Reds. Injuries and competition for places means that Chiesa has only started twice for Liverpool this season, making seven more appearances from the bench.

He played 90 minutes at the Reds, fielding a much changed side, were beaten 3-2 at PSV in the Champions League. Chiesa has underlined his desire to make it at Liverpool and have an impact with home games especially leaving their mark on him.

The 27-year-old said: “I want to play for Liverpool! I want to be here, I want to do my best for this club. I'm enjoying being at the club, Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world … and the fanbase is amazing. Playing at Anfield gives me shivers”.

Slot has a host of attacking options, which has left Chiesa watching on for much of the season. Back at Euro 2020 the forward was a star performer for the Italians but he's found himself behind the likes of Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah in the pecking order.

The Liverpool manager was happy he could give Chiesa, as well as some of the club's younger players, the chance to get 90 minutes under their belts.

He said: “Yeah. And he got a knock with the penalty so that took him a few minutes before he got going again. But I think it’s been seven, eight or nine months ago – maybe even longer, I don’t know exactly – since he played 90. It’s the same for Jayden Danns, it was the same for James McConnell.

“So, we had quite a lot of players that were not used to playing so many minutes in the last six or seven months. So it’s especially for them also important that they make these 90 minutes and were able to keep competing during 90 minutes."

Chiesa's only strike this season came earlier this month in the final minutes of Liverpool's FA Cup win against Accrington Stanley. He scored the team's fourth at Anfield with cup competitions likely to offer him more minutes.

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