KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 8, 2022: Liverpool's Layton Stewart (C) celebrates scoring the second goal with team-mates during the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

20-year-old striker savours “big opportunity” to play alongside Liverpool trio

For Liverpool youngster Layton Stewart, this month’s training camp in Dubai is a “big opportunity” to learn from three first-team players in particular.

Stewart was part of the academy cohort called up for the Reds’ trip to the United Arab Emirates, with training underway ahead of friendlies against Lyon and AC Milan.

This comes in an impressive campaign for the 20-year-old so far, which has included a senior debut in the Carabao Cup third-round victory over Derby.

There have also been seven goals and three assists in 11 games for the youth ranks, with Stewart picking up where he left off after an ACL injury ruined the previous season.

“I think it’s been a positive first half of the season for me,” he said in an interview with LFCTV.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 8, 2022: Liverpool's Bobby Clark (L) and Layton Stewart celebrate a 5-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers after the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

Along with the likes of Bobby Clark, Luke Chambers, Ben Doak, Jarell Quansah, Jake Cain and Melkamu Frauendorf, Stewart has been handed a chance to impress Jurgen Klopp during this break.

“It’s a great experience for us to come out here with the first team,” he continued.

“Obviously there’s quite a few of us, we know each other and we’re coming around the first team and trying to learn off them.”

For a player of his profile, Stewart has earmarked three players in particular who he is looking to soak everything up from.

“It’s a big opportunity for me to learn off the likes of Mo, Bobby and Diaz,” the Scouser said.

“They’re players who play in my position, so I’m going to take as much as I can off them, take it and try to put it in my game.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, November 9, 2022: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp embraces Layton Stewart during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Derby County FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

An orthodox No. 9, it would certainly benefit Stewart to take aspects of Roberto Firmino‘s game to enhance his own, along with the qualities Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz bring in wider positions.

His next chance could come against Lyon on Sunday, which will likely see him start from the bench before being given minutes to impress.

“I’ve got to strive to try and get more opportunities for the first team,” he added, “try to show what I can do in the games I get and take my opportunity.”

The competition for places in Klopp’s attack is rife, with Diogo Jota also in Dubai as he continues his recovery from injury and Darwin Nunez to join next week.

But Stewart has the right attitude when it comes to this break, with the call-up alone representing a chance to catch the manager’s eye.