01 February 2024 , 09:57
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Back in April 2023, Jurgen Klopp promised Conor Bradley that he would get his chance in the Liverpool first-team after impressing on loan at Bolton.
Bradley scored seven goals and added five assists in 53 matches for Bolton last season as they won the EFL Trophy and finished fifth in League One, losing out to Barnsley in the play-off semi-final. As his loan stint was coming to an end, Klopp was quizzed on Bradley and revealed he would get an opportunity in pre-season.
Speaking on April 25 last year, Klopp said: "The plan at the moment is to bring him back and keep him, but we will see. Bring him back, go in the pre-season and then enjoy the steps he made, then we will decide together what we are doing from that moment on."
After recovering from a back problem, Bradley has been a prominent figure in the Liverpool squad and he has been handed his chance to shine since Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a knee issue at Arsenal in the FA Cup. Having been named in the XI against Fulham in the Carabao Cup, Bradley has since started every game, including Wednesday's 4-1 drubbing over Chelsea.
The 20-year-old was the man of the moment against Mauricio Pochettino's side, grabbing one goal and two assists as the Reds restored their five-point buffer at the top of the Premier League. He set up Liverpool's first, angling a pass into Diogo Jota, who burst through several defenders before coolly slotting beyond Djordje Petrovic.
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Then Bradley got his name on the scoresheet to double Liverpool's lead. The former Bolton loanee was played in down the right-hand channel and he fired the ball across goal and into the far corner.
Midway through the second half, Bradley continued his fine evening as he crossed for Dominik Szoboszlai to head home Liverpool's third. That proved to be Bradley's last key action of the night as he was replaced in the 68th minute by Alexander-Arnold, who is slowly returning back to full fitness.
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Klopp could not help but show his appreciation for Bradley in his post-match press conference. "I've known it for a while," Klopp said. "In my left ear is Pep Lijnders and in my right ear is Vitor Matos, telling me. I remember Pep sitting in my office telling me he's put both of his hands in fire.
"I have loved him from the first days and didn’t need a lot of convincing. The thing is Conor showed up extremely well in pre-season, did extremely well at Bolton. He comes back, looks top and does well in pre-season, wow and is out for four months with the back, it is the kind of issue that only young peoplehave.
"Thank God time could sort it. It will not get better but in that age group it gets better. It is a joy to watch him since he comes back and all credit to the Academy."