Ben Woodburn Calls His Senior Squad Debut A “Dream Come True”

There’s a special joy when someone from the academy graduates to the first team. From Robbie Fowler to Steven Gerrard to Raheem Sterling, Liverpool fans love it when one of the young’uns comes good.

Yesterday another potential homegrown player got his big break. 17-year-old forward Ben Woodburn was summoned in stoppage time of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Sunderland at Anfield, replacing Georginio Wijnaldum with just about a minute to go. It was a time-wasting substitution, sure, but you can bet that Woodburn doesn’t mind one bit.

The Welsh youth international has impressed many at Liverpool’s academy setup and recently caught the attention of first team manager Jürgen Klopp. With the senior squad coping with a growing injured list, Woodburn got his chance and was named as a substitute for the match.

Needless to say, Woodburn was thrilled for the opportunity.

The Echo suggested that Woodburn could feature in Tuesday’s EFL Cup tie with Leeds United. Klopp does like to use this competition to give the kids a chance to prove themselves, so don’t be surprised if this apple-cheeked young fellow leads the line on Tuesday night.