Liverpool starlet names Leicester man as toughest opponent

Dan Butterfield
Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton

Liverpool youngster Tyler Morton has named Leicester City midfielder James Maddison as the toughest opponent he has faced so far.

The 19-year-old has taken advantage of injuries and Covid related absences to his more senior midfield colleagues to become a regular feature in Jurgen Klopp’s matchday squad.


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Morton has made seven appearances for the first team so far this season, including in a Champions League tie at the San Siro against AC Milan as well as in the Premier League, away at Tottenham.

However, Morton didn’t name a Spurs or Milan player as his toughest opponent so far, instead opting for Leicester star Maddison who he faced off against in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Speaking to liverpoolfc.com, the young midfielder said: “To be honest, it’s never just me. When you play you’ve got all the players around you, so to be decent he’s got to beat me and someone else next to me because at Liverpool especially it’s never one-v-one, you’ve always got your mate helping you or someone helping you.

“Especially when you’re young, people know that, especially the experienced ones, they know that they need to help the youngster out. So, probably Maddison; a very good player, James Maddison, just because of his movement and his cleverness.”

Liverpool take on Shrewsbury at Anfield on Sunday in the FA Cup with the fixture being heavily affected by a Covid outbreak at the club’s training ground that forced it’s closure.

The training complex has now reopened and Morton is ready to add to his seven appearances on Sunday.

“Yeah, 100 per cent. We try to remain focused through everything, to be honest, and especially through tough times for everyone at the club and for every club in the Premier League.

“The main thing is that you’ve got to stay ready because anything can happen and as you can see, the FA Cup’s definitely going on and everyone is buzzing about it because we’re playing a game – especially me!”

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson recently revealed he thought Morton’s rise had been due to his ability to learn from other players, something that the academy product has admitted.

“Yeah, 100 per cent, because of the players I’m playing with and the staff I’m working with. It’s an elite level, it’s probably the best level because in my opinion Liverpool are one of the best teams in the world.

“I’ve just got to sink everything in to help me along my journey, wherever that is, wherever that ends. I’ve just got to sink everything in because I am playing with the best players in the world.

“How they conduct themselves around the training ground and how they conduct themselves when they are about to play a game; stuff like that is something I can take in and follow in my career.”