Bradley overlooks Salah as he names Liverpool team-mate "best in the world"

12 January 2024 , 11:53

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Conor Bradley after Liverpool's win over Fulham on Wednesday (Image: Getty Images)

Conor Bradley has heaped praise on Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold and believes he is "probably the best player in the world at the moment".

Bradley impressed on his second start of the season against Fulham in the Carabao Cup after Alexander-Arnold was ruled out for "a few weeks" with a knee ligament injury. Bradley helped Liverpool to a 2-1 semi-final first-leg success at Anfield on Wednesday, with Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo both finding the net.

The 20-year-old could now be in for a run in the Liverpool side, depending how long Alexander-Arnold is out for. The Reds aren't in action again until January 21 due to the winter break, but then face a hectic schedule with five matches in the space of two weeks, including a trip to Arsenal to end that period.

But Bradley is under no illusions of the hole he is having to fill currently, given Alexander-Arnold's performances before his injury. Speaking after the win over Fulham, he said: "Trent's obviously the best right-back in the world at the moment, probably the best player in the world at the moment with the way he’s playing. He’s a big miss but I just tried to do everything I could to fill in for him and thankfully we got the win."

Alexander-Arnold picked up the knee problem during Liverpool's win over Arsenal in the FA Cup last Sunday. Although the Reds managed to beat Fulham in their first game without the England right-back, his absence will no doubt be a major blow for Klopp's men in the coming weeks.

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Pep Lijnders confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday. He said: "First of all, some not-that-good news, Trent hyperextended his knee during the last game. So he has a little tear in the lateral ligament of his knee and he will need time to recover. He had a scan and he will be out for a few weeks, so let's see after that.

"He will get some rest and then hopefully he can come back to where he was. Because this guy was decisive in all the games and was the one who created constantly for us from deep and gave the team a high level of flexibility. We will really miss him."

Conor Bradley came in for Trent Alexander-Arnold (Getty Images)

As for Bradley, Klopp waxed lyrical of his right-back after Wednesday's win. "I told him before the game already I was waiting for that moment that we can give him the opportunity," Klopp said.

"I was really waiting for it because when he got injured in pre-season, my opinion about him was already here [high] and then he was out for a pretty long time. A top boy. Today was pretty intense for him. Somebody has to drive him home hopefully because he really is sitting in the dressing room and doesn't look great!"

Kieran King