Liverpool’s match against Chelsea tonight will forever go down in Conor Bradley’s memory as the occasion of his first goal for the Reds, and that wasn’t the only moment from the 20-year-old which had Anfield yelling in appreciation.
Nine minutes into the second half, the right-back eased momentary pressure on the home side just outside the penalty area by winning a free kick off Christopher Nkunku, much to the delight of Jurgen Klopp and most of the fans present.
As noted by Ian Doyle on X in the aftermath of that moment, there were ‘huge cheers from the Anfield crowd and a round of applause from Klopp as Bradley wins a free-kick from Nkunku’.
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Bradley’s goal will obviously be his headline act from tonight, but moments such as the free kick he won from Nkunku are almost as important, especially at a point in the game when Chelsea were enjoying some rare forays near the Liverpool penalty area.
His statistics from the first half were thoroughly impressive, with the Northern Ireland international continuing the excellent form he’s shown since coming in for Trent Alexander-Arnold earlier this month after a brief injury layoff for the Scouser.
In addition to the one he scored himself, there were also two assists from the 20-year-old before he was withdrawn to a raucous reception midway through the second half.
The Tyrone native’s maturity for a 20-year-old who’s making just his 14th senior appearance for the Reds is commendable, and if he can build upon his magnificent start to 2024 in the long-term, he could have an incredibly high ceiling, much like the man he kept out of the starting line-up against the Blues.