Conor Bradley’s fledgling career reached new heights on Wednesday night as he delivered a stunning display to help Liverpool ease to a 4-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield.
The Northern Ireland international made his full Premier League debut on January 21, standing in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and registering an assist in a 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
Alexander-Arnold was back in the squad for the reverse of Chelsea, but Bradley retained his starting spot and shone, scoring Liverpool’s second goal and assisting Diogo Jota and Dominic Szoboszlai for the team’s first and third goals respectively.
Bleak reading for Bruno
That assist for Szoboszlai – a stunning cross after a marauding run – took him level with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes for Premier League assists this season.
Damningly for Fernandes, he has made 10 times as many league appearances as Bradley, with 20 outings to his name, but has the same amount of assists as the youngster, with the United skipper’s last coming during a 3-0 win at Everton in November.
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Conor Bradley: 3 assists in 2 Premier League games this seasonBruno Fernandes: 3 assists in 20 Premier League games this season😬 pic.twitter.com/Yitm3dKX98
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 31, 2024
Meanwhile, Liverpool great Robbie Fowler believes Bradley has given outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp food for thought regarding his right-back selection going forward, regardless of how popular Alexander-Arnold is.
Fowler told TNT Sports: “Every Liverpool player was very good tonight but that was a special performance [by Bradley]. Liverpool have got great players in different positions but the manager will have a headache now because I’m not sure you can leave him out of the side. When he has played, he’s been brilliant, going forward he’s been magnificent, and defensively tonight he had a lot of players in his pocket. Anyone who went over to his side, he defended unbelievably.”
💬 @Robbie9Fowler: "I'm not sure you can leave him out of the side!" Does Jurgen Klopp have a headache trying to figure out how to fit Conor Bradley and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the same side? 🧠@lynseyhipgrave1 | @rioferdy5 pic.twitter.com/p1FafeNhej
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 31, 2024
Rio Ferdinand, however, thinks it will take a lot more for Bradley to displace Alexander-Arnold. Ferdinand said: “He (Bradley) will understand that when Trent is fit, Trent will play, but the manager has got another card in his pocket. He can give people rests, dip people in and out knowing that he can trust these young players now.”