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Despite an impressive pre-season and a handful of promising cameos in recent weeks, Marko Grujic knows he’s not going to be asked to start every week for Liverpool. At least not this season as a 20-year-old freshly arrived from Red Star Belgrade. And so he’s happy just to learn, to grow, and to enjoy the experience.
“It was my first game at Anfield and the feeling was incredible,” Grujic told the club’s official website when asked about his home debut against Hull City, when he followed up his first start for the club in the EFL Cup against Derby County by coming off the bench for the final 16 minutes of Saturday’s 5-1 victory.
“I made my competitive debut against Derby in the cup and then came on at Anfield. The feeling is nice. I will try to keep working hard. It was a nice game for everyone, we played very well. But we conceded one goal and we will try to improve on those moments from set-pieces. That’s what we can improve.”
It was the Reds’ one blemish on an otherwise perfect day—and Hull City’s one and only shot on target. Still, Liverpool have been improved in recent weeks defensively, and that they only allowed Hull the one real chance to score is promising, even if that one and only chance to score did result in them scoring.
And Grujic, for his part, will continue to work in training to prove that he deserves to keep getting minutes. Off the bench mostly in the league, but perhaps with another start on the cards for the young Serbian midfielder when Liverpool take on Tottenham in the next round of the EFL Cup on October 25th.
“All of the players in my position, and other positions, are playing very well,” Grujic added. “We have had good results to start the season. We had some hard matches away. We will be better from week to week [and] I will try to show my skills in training to get more minutes in the Premier League.”