**It comes on the back of a real season of progress, I think you'd say. We'll speak about the first team in a minute but just in terms of Academy level – 15 goals, 14 in Premier League 2, you were shortlisted for Premier League 2 Player of the Season as well. How would you assess your campaign?**
It's been really good, it's been a massive improvement from last year. That was my goal this year – just to impact myself and PL2 as much as I can. I think I've done quite well. As a team, we wanted to get further in the play-offs but we've come a long way as a team, especially with Rob, the new manager, and obviously me becoming captain during it. It just shows how much we've come \[along\] since the beginning of the season. So, I'm really proud of my performances and the team's performances.
**Can you speak to us about Rob giving you the armband? That extra responsibility, is that something you've relished? Is leadership a side of the game that you enjoy?**
Yeah. He's been saying that I've become more mature. So, he's given me the captain's armband to try to lead the others the way how he wants me to lead them. So yeah, it feels like I've got more weight on my shoulders to carry the team in a leadership way. So yeah, it's a good challenge and I think I've done alright.
**You won Player of the Month for PL2 back in January. You're the first Liverpool player to win it since Curtis Jones, which was back in 2020, so that must have felt like a huge honour...**
Yeah. It feels like me and Curt get a lot of resemblance, comparisons. But it's a really big honour and hopefully I can follow in his footsteps and do what he's doing with the first team.
**It's been a season of big milestones as well, not least your senior debut, which came in the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace. Speak to us about that moment after so many years of academy football to run out at Anfield in the starting XI, hear** _**You'll Never Walk Alone**_ **before kick-off...**
I really can't put into words how I felt. The game didn't go how I wanted it to. I know that I could have done better and I know that I will prove myself again. But just to start, before the game just hearing the chant, hearing the crowd, the atmosphere, I was thinking I need to make myself be here as much as I can. So yeah, in that sense it was a really good experience and it just drives me to do more.
**You had an appearance in the FA Cup as well, experience of being in Premier League squads, in Champions League squads as well. That must all be so invaluable on the learning journey that you're on at the moment...**
Yeah, 100 per cent. Every matchday squad I'm in I'm grateful and I'm blessed. I came on against Wolves in the FA Cup – I should have scored! But hopefully I'll get another chance soon. I just know that I'll get my chance again and hopefully I'll take it.