Conor Bradley earned his manager’s praise after making his Premier League debut in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday, but he also broke a record in the process.
With Liverpool suffering from a full-back injury crisis, as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, and Kostas Tsimikas all remain out, Jurgen Klopp gave 20-year-old Bradley his first Premier League start, and the Northern Irishman did not disappoint, producing a composed and hard-working performance as the Reds cruised to a 4-0 away win, extending their lead at the top of the table by five points.
Bradley’s most significant moment was in the 79th minute, when he passed into the feet of Diogo Jota, who botched his attempted shot before quickly rebounding to bury the ball in the back of the net on the second attempt.
Despite the sloppy nature of the goal, Bradley had recorded his first assist in a Liverpool shirt on his Premier League debut, breaking a long-standing record.
Bradley is the first Northern Irish player to assist a Liverpool goal in 69 years and 277 days, according to renowned football statistician Marshall Gillespie. On April 19, 1954, Sammy Smyth defeated Middlesbrough at Anfield, being the last player to do so.
It is unlikely that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was aware of the long-standing record, but he was full of praise for his rookie following the game. When questioned by the club’s official website about his opinions on Bradley’s performance, the German replied: “Hopefully the Same as you, pretty good. Really, really good. Very impressive. I can say the same thing: he’s a wonderful kid, a dedicated worker, and a good football player.
“He is a defensive player who can also attack. He could have, and probably should have, scored with a header. I forgot about that. No, he should have scored in that scenario. But, in any case, it was a really nice game, and for the first one, well, sometimes you have to forget your first game because it’s your first, but he shouldn’t; that’s a good start.”
Bradley moved to the Reds from Dungannon United Youth in 2019. He spent last season on loan with Bolton Wanderers, where he won three Player of the Year accolades during a remarkable tenure. The 20-year-old has now earned 13 caps for Northern Ireland.
With Liverpool’s chronic full-back injury crisis, Klopp may be tempted to enter the transfer market this month to bring in reinforcements at right-back, but Bradley’s performance may convince the Reds manager that he has adequate reserves until Alexander-Arnold returns.
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