Paul Merson has heaped praise on one ‘unbelievable talent’ who’s impressed for Liverpool in recent weeks.
The pundit was discussing the Reds on Sky Sports‘ Soccer Saturday this lunchtime (12:12, 24 February) when he left viewers in no doubt as to his admiration for Conor Bradley, who’s made a huge impression since getting a regular run of games at Anfield since the start of the year.
The 55-year-old said of the young right-back: “This kid has got unbelievable talent. We were just watching the clips there. I know that clips can make you look great, but his intelligence, his football brain, he knows when to pass, when to close down.
“Everything he does, it is the right decision. For a 20-year-old, that is unusual, very unusual, for a 20-year-old to make consistently the right decisions, playing for a big football club. I think this kid is amazing.”
Bradley had only played five times for Liverpool’s first team prior to this season – all in domestic cups (Transfermarkt) – but he’s made the step up to a senior regular in recent weeks look very straightforward.
The 20-year-old capped a man-of-the-match display against Chelsea with his first goal for the Reds and has also contributed five assists since the turn of the year (Transfermarkt).
Even more admirably, he’s continued to impress since returning to action after the death of his father in early February, overcoming his personal tragedy with incredible maturity for such a young footballer.
With each passing week, the echoes of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s breakthrough at right-back at a similar juncture of the 2016/17 season become more striking.
If Bradley can go on to have as successful a Liverpool career as the man whose place he’s taken in the line-up during the latter’s injury absence, the Northern Ireland youngster will be a dream to watch for years to come at Anfield.