Liverpool's loan stars were busy over the weekend, which included a wild game for Calum Scanlon after he featured for Cardiff against Burnley
Liverpool loanee Calum Scanlon was involved in a nine-goal thriller against Burnley
Liverpool loanee Calum Scanlon was involved in a nine-goal thriller against Burnley(Image: (Photo by Andrew Lewis/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
Liverpool loanee Calum Scanlon was caught up in a wild encounter this weekend, as he made an appearance from the bench in a nine-goal thriller between Cardiff and Burnley.
The 21-year-old re-joined the Bluebirds in the summer, following a successful loan in Wales for the second half of last season, which helped the side earn promotion from League One back to the Championship.
A left-back by trade, Scanlon has continued to gain experience under the watchful eye of Brian Barry-Murphy, having featured in all but one Championship game so far this season.
Those minutes have been a healthy mix of starting games and featuring from the bench, as Cardiff looks to make a bid towards survival in the division, with some impressive performances behind him so far.
After being given a handful of starts in a row in the division, Scanlon was dropped to the bench for the clash with Burnley over the weekend, which started in far from ideal fashion.
The Clarets were 4-1 up after an hour, seemingly cruising towards just a second win of the campaign since being relegated, but a Yousef Salech goal inspired some hope of a comeback for the home side. Then came the moment for Scanlon to come on and impact the match, making his way on in the 71st minute.
Jack Moylan scored from the penalty spot shortly after, before Salech scored again, drawing the game level in a scenario that seemed unlikely.
Then came the completed turnaround, as Alex Robertson, who had scored an own goal earlier in the game, redeemed himself with a strike from the edge of the box that found the back of the net.
Brian Barry-Murphy guided his Cardiff side towards a surprise comeback at home to Burnley
Brian Barry-Murphy guided his Cardiff side towards a surprise comeback at home to Burnley(Image: (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images))
While Scanlon didn't contribute with a goal involvement, he was positive in the build-up, helping to make an impact with a game that turned on its head after his arrival.
It's the sort of positive experience that Liverpool would have hoped for when agreeing to another loan move for the academy defender, who is racking up plenty of minutes with Cardiff so far.
"Last season was a bit different to where I'm at now, I'm in a much better place physically," Scanlon told the BBC last month when looking at his loan move.
"Going forward it's about getting as many minutes as I can, keep doing my thing, it's been an enjoyable experience so far and I'm just looking to keep improving.
"Everything played a part in coming back here. The fans, the people, the manager and the city. I was buzzing when we got the move over the line."
The youngster is certainly proving himself to be a useful player in the second division so far, and there is some hope that he can continue for the rest of the season.