Liverpool kicked off their pre-season campaign with an emphatic 6-0 drubbing of League One newcomers Tranmere Rovers last night with many fringe and youth players on show. The performance left a number of supporters picking out one name in particular – Rhian Brewster – his brace and assist has drawn many plaudits ahead of the new season.
The young striker is just one of many being given an early look this pre-season by manager Jurgen Klopp and he certainly took his first opportunity to impress correctly. Two goals and an assist in the first half was all that was needed for the 19-year-old with Klopp electing to play two different starting elevens for each half.
Brewster suffered serious ligament damage to his right ankle back in the 2017/18 season which has stalled his progression into the senior side to date. He was named on the bench for the final two matches of the season – the stunning comeback against Barcelona and the final win over Tottenham in the Champions League.
Four of Liverpool’s stars from that European run are set to return to pre-season training on Saturday after an extended period of time off due to their international commitments – these are Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum. Their return is most likely too soon to feature in Liverpool’s final English pre-season friendly against Bradford City on Sunday but they will amongst the squad departing for the United States next week where they will face much higher-quality European opposition.
Read a selection of the reaction from Brewster’s standout performance below:
Brewster is the English Mbappe.
— 6 (@AnfieldRd96) July 11, 2019
Mbappe is just a BTEC Brewster
— Manvir Bains ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@MannyBLFC) July 11, 2019
A brace, an assist, give me more Rhian????
— CJ Bradley (@TheCJBradley) July 11, 2019
He will get his chance, if he takes it then he will be a Liverpool star. He does look lively. #LFC ✌️
— Ania (@Kulvic) July 12, 2019
I'd bet Klopp absolutely loved Brewster first half, not for the goals and the assist but for a couple of moments where he battled and won the ball back, one of which after he himself had given it away. Proper Klopp player.
— _Spillane (@MaubeN_) July 11, 2019
Announce Brewster actually being Mbappe
— ben ???????? (@Fucking_Ben) July 11, 2019
WHAT A BALLER ????
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) July 11, 2019
Start of something special
— Richard Glanvill (@gronemow) July 11, 2019
great to see you back on the pitch, Rhian, two great goals, so much movement across our attacking third, and your ability to drop back & make breathe our team with clever hold up play, your capacity to get in behind the opposing defence and be a threat were 1rst class #YNWA R B????
— fran (@fran63645593) July 11, 2019