Among the multitide of players to sign for Liverpool during the summer, there’s one who’s yet to be handed an official debut by Arne Slot.
Four months ago, the Reds quietly added Freddie Woodman to their squad on a free transfer after the goalkeeper was released by Preston, with the 28-year-old slotting in as third-choice at Anfield behind Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The ex-Newcastle netminder has yet to play competitively for LFC, but with the Brazilian injured and the Georgian likely to be rested, he’s in line to get his first taste of proper action against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Woodman couldn’t turn down the chance to join Liverpool
The fixture holds added personal significance for Woodman, who started his football journey in the Eagles’ academy; and he was encouraged to join Liverpool by his father Andy, who also played professionally as a goalkeeper and is now manager of League Two side Bromley.
The Reds’ number 28 told liverpoolfc.com: “I’ve played consistently over the last five or six years, albeit in the Championship and a few Premier League games.
“I wanted to keep playing and I’m only 28, but there was a conversation in the summer where Liverpool came up. I had other options but my dad said to me, ‘How do you turn down Liverpool? You just can’t do it.’
“I’m very happy with my decision because l get to work with the best players in the world and I get to work up close with Ali and Giorgi, who are top goalkeepers who I think are only going to make me better and help my development.”
Woodman appreciative of Liverpool opportunity
Woodman will have been aware of his likely place in the goalkeeping pecking order before agreeing to join Liverpool, and evidently the lure of representing the Premier League champions and learning from the world-class Alisson was impossible to reject.
Having played 37 league games or more in five of the past six seasons, it might take some getting used to for the Londoner to be left feeding off scraps for first-team opportunities, but circumstance is set to open the door for a Reds debut tomorrow night.
It’s not unheard of for a third-choice ‘keeper at LFC to be thrust into the action. Last October, Vitezslav Jaros saw out a 1-0 win away to Palace when Alisson went off injured and Caoimhin Kelleher was absent through illness, and he also had a rare start in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup against Brighton 12 months ago.
Woodman knows that his opportunities at Liverpool are likely to be few and far between, but if he makes a vital contribution against the Eagles on Wednesday and Slot’s team go on to win the tournament for the third time in five years, his efforts will live in Kopites’ memories.
With the 28-year-old set to get his big chance tomorrow night, hopefully he can make a positive impression and, perhaps, ensure a first clean sheet for the Reds in 10 matches since the 1-0 win at Burnley in mid-September.
We cant blame a keeper if all players are dead on the field, we only had Chiesa and a keeper yesterday