NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 20, 2022: Liverpool's Owen Beck during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Nottingham Forest FC and Liverpool FC at the City Ground. Liverpool won 1-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“I was harsh on myself” – Liverpool left-back on loan reality “you don’t realise”

As he begins to revive his season with Bolton, Liverpool loanee Owen Beck has admitted “you don’t realise how hard the step is” to senior football.

It has been a difficult campaign so far for Beck, who began the season with Famalicao in Portugal before a change of heart led him to join Bolton on loan.

That switch came at the end of August, a month-and-a-half after initially leaving Liverpool, with Bolton already nine games into their season.

Beck made his first matchday squad in League One at the start of October, but it wasn’t until November 12 that he made his league bow – and another week before his first start.

He has now started two in a row, with a 2-1 win over Fleetwood Town followed by a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers, and speaking to the Bolton News, the 20-year-old admitted he has been harsh on himself.

“When I first came it took a while for me to get up to speed, but now I’ve played a few games and got my first start in the league at Fleetwood,” he said.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 1, 2022: Liverpool's Owen Beck during the pre-match warm-up before the Premier League 2 Division 1 match between Liverpool FC Under-23's and Manchester United FC Under-23's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

“It’s time to push on now and keep progressing and keep getting the most out of the loan that I can.

“I was buzzing that we won that, it was a tough game.

“We knew they would play long onto my side so it was a bit of a different game to what I’ve been used to at Liverpool, but it was good to get the three points and for me to show some character.

“After the game I was harsh on myself. It kept coming to me that I should have scored.

“But now I’m just thinking that I was in the right position and if I keep getting in the right positions, I’m going to score.”

LEYLAND, ENGLAND - Wednesday, May 4, 2022: Liverpool's (L-R) James Norris, Owen Beck, Conor Bradley and Leighton Clarkson with the trophy after winning 1-0 in the Lancashire Senior Cup Final match between Burnley FC Under-23's and Liverpool FC Under-23's at the County Ground. (Pic by Sam Fielding/Propaganda)

Operating as a left wing-back in Ian Evatt’s 3-4-1-2 system – on the opposite flank to fellow Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley – Beck is being given the platform to showcase his attacking talent.

To do so, he will need to pick up where he left off after a standout campaign on Merseyside last time out, and come to terms with the realities of life on loan.

“I need to perform and show the gaffer, the fans and whoever is watching what I can do,” Beck continued.

“I feel like playing week in, week out does do your confidence a lot of good. Learning is the main thing.

“Coming on loan as a young lad is hard. You don’t realise how hard the step is to come into men’s football and get the game time you want.

“But now I’ve started my first game, I’ve just got to keep pushing and doing all I can for the team.

“I can’t wait to try and get in the team week in, week out and play as many games as I can.”