Liverpool’s conflict with Chelsea on Sunday will deliver again particular recollections for Conor Bradley.
Contemporary from captaining Northern Eire in Tuesday’s 5-0 rout of Bulgaria in Belfast, the 21-year-old has returned to the membership’s Kirkby coaching floor with a spring in his step earlier than their subsequent Premier League match.
Taking the armband for his nation was simply the newest step in Bradley’s excellent 2024, and two conferences with Chelsea characteristic prominently in that story.
The primary got here on January 31 in a 4-1 win over the Londoners at Anfield, as Bradley acquired his first Liverpool purpose and added two assists in a man-of-the-match show.
“It was a psychological night time,” Bradley recalled.
“I didn’t actually anticipate to begin as a result of Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was again, however the gaffer put belief in me to play. I used that within the sport and went into it stuffed with confidence.
“It was a surreal night time scoring my first purpose. I bear in mind making a sort out and profitable a free-kick after which the Kop was singing my title, I can’t describe in phrases what that felt like, it’s psychological.
“It’s positively one of the particular nights. My mates have been over for it and I bear in mind going again residence after it and I used to be considering ‘what has simply occurred?’.”
A month later, Bradley acquired the nod to begin within the Carabao Cup ultimate towards Chelsea, enjoying simply over 70 minutes of a match Liverpool went on to win 1-0 after extra-time, their ultimate trophy of Jurgen Klopp‘s reign.
“That was a bizarre one as we have been actually gentle in numbers, we didn’t have many gamers left,” Bradley stated.
“Ryan [Gravenberch] needed to come off and Joe [Gomez] got here on so I needed to go to proper wing.
“I had by no means performed there earlier than in my skilled profession. It was mad, that’s the place Mo Salah often performs and now there was a younger lad from Castlederg enjoying there.
“I actually loved the expertise. To carry a trophy with my dream membership, who I’ve supported all my life, was surreal and one other very particular night time for me.”
Enjoying in the identical place as Alexander-Arnold means Bradley nonetheless faces a struggle to get into the Liverpool aspect.
He has made six appearances to this point this time period, though his solely begin was within the 5-1 Carabao Cup win over West Ham.
Liverpool go into the weekend prime of the Premier League after a powerful begin for brand spanking new supervisor Arne Slot, however that is the primary of a troublesome little run of video games, with a visit to Arsenal subsequent weekend after they journey to RB Leipzig within the Champions League.
“It’s all the time going to be a particular fixture for me once we play [Chelsea] however I’ve to overlook about that now and give attention to Sunday because it’s one other huge sport for us,” Bradley added.
“We’re prime of the desk in the meanwhile and we wish to keep there. We’ve got robust fixtures developing however we’ve got to give attention to the subsequent sport.
“We simply take each sport because it comes, you possibly can solely beat whoever’s in entrance of you. We’ve had a extremely good begin and performed some good soccer.
“It’s going to be a step up in stage now however we’re all relishing it. I can’t look forward to it.”
