Tyler Morton was pleased with the impact he was able to make on his Premier League debut for Liverpool, with the youngster looking to execute Jurgen Klopp‘s advice.
Morton became the latest player to debut for the Reds in the Premier League when he came off the bench to replace Thiago with six minutes to play against Arsenal.
With Liverpool four goals up and cruising, it was the perfect opportunity to introduce the 19-year-old, who was joined among the substitutes by Conor Bradley, Kaide Gordon and Owen Beck.
He impressed in his short display, joining Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the middle of the park and completing a tidy 87.5 percent of his attempted passes.
It was a big moment for the lifelong Liverpool fan and season-ticket holder, and the sight of him receiving a hug from Klopp on the touchline was a heartwarming one.
“I thought it went well. There wasn’t much [more] I could have done really in the 10 minutes,” Morton told LFCTV.
“I came on, I tried to control the game.
“He told me to control the game, calm it down a bit, get everyone on the ball, get playing, show what I’ve got.
“And I think that’s what I’ve done a little bit, I feel like I’ve got plenty more to come and hopefully I can showcase that soon.”
Morton’s hunger for minutes after that first taste of Premier League football could be built upon in the coming weeks, with James Milner, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott still working their way back from injury.
With the need to manage the fitness of Henderson, Thiago and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Klopp could turn to his No. 80 in future games, and possibly as early as Wednesday’s clash with Porto.
That would bring another first for Morton, who is yet to play in the Champions League, and would serve as a natural progression as he looks to cement himself as a first-team option.
“I’d love to,” he said when asked if he is hoping for minutes against Porto. “Let’s see what happens!”
He reflected: “It’s a different feeling to any other feeling, especially your boyhood club, as everyone will know, being a fan all my life and now stepping on the pitch.
“It felt surreal, but that’s where I want to be, so that’s where I’m going to push to be.”
Fan Comments