In anticipation of the upcoming Carabao Cup final, Liverpool legend Stephen Warnock has expressed admiration for the performances of Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo.
Warnock commended Bradley for his remarkable growth and consistency throughout the season.
The Reds academy graduate has displayed a blend of defensive prowess and attacking flair, earning recognition from both fans and experts alike.
Gakpo has also been acknowledged for his impact since joining Liverpool. His skillful dribbling, goal-scoring ability, and versatility on the field have not gone unnoticed.
Warnock said: “I think Connor Bradley has been brilliant. To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether he’d be ready to play in the Premier League, I know he did exceptionally well at Bolton last season.
“He has had a similar path to me, where you go and play first-team football, but the way he has progressed and stepped up to the plate in the Premier League is impressive, especially in a team that is competing for the title.
“That’s a completely different level to what he’ll be used to but he has coped really well.Â
“There is always a level of scrutiny on every performance from the media, but everyone is talking positively about him.
“The passing of his dad was just horrible news to hear, and he’s dealt with that from a professional standpoint really well. He came back and played against Brentford last weekend, and I think he’s been superb both on and off the field.
“The question mark for me was whether he would be able to compete physically in the Premier League, and I still think he needs to bulk up. However, that’s just part and parcel of the process of maturing and becoming a better player.
“If you compare him to Trent Alexander-Arnold when he broke through, he was quite skinny. However, now he’s matured, more muscular, much stronger, and ready for the rigours of the Premier League, I think that will be a natural progression for Connor, but defensively, he has been superb.
“Especially against Arsenal when dealing with Martinelli, he was just superb in 1v1 situations and there are not many people who deal with him as well as that.Â
“He’s great going forward as well, but he’s a completely different player to Trent and he brings a different dynamic down that right-hand side.
“He doesn’t go inside as much as Trent, which makes Liverpool more balanced when he plays at right back.”
On Gapko, he added: “When you come into the forward line at Liverpool, you’re ultimately judged on either how many goals you score or assists that you produce, as you should be.
“However, I think the big thing for me with Gapko is finding his best position. He can play anywhere across the front three. He can play in midfield and I feel like that’s almost his role, he’s a squad player.
“He cost 30 million pounds, which is relatively cheap in today’s game, and he’s good at filling in across various positions.
“Gakpo has spells where he looks unplayable at times. But, there are other times when he just looks a little bit lost and maybe that is because he hasn’t got a place that’s cemented in the team.
“However, I think what he’s done so far is what Jurgen Klopp wanted him to do, which is filling gaps in the team as and when needed.”
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