Liverpool teenage striker Will Wright has enjoyed a further taste of first-team football during the summer
Will Wright of Liverpool
Will Wright of Liverpool(Image: Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
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Scoring at the Gwladys Street End at Goodison was long the dream of any Liverpool striker. And while the circumstances may have been somewhat different to previously, Will Wright wasn't going to pass up the opportunity.
The 18-year-old was on target for the under-21s in the 1-1 mini-derby draw at the former home of the Everton men's team on Friday night, picking up where he left off with a fruitful end to the previous Premier League 2 season.
"It's definitely one of my favourites!" smiles Wright on his Goodison strike. "Hopefully it's the first of many this season and I can keep kicking on and get more."
It continued a good summer for the teenager, who was called up by new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola for the United States tour and featured in the wins against Sunderland in Nashville and Wrexham at the Yankee Stadium in New York.
"It was great, what a great opportunity to play alongside those players," says Wright. "I loved every minute of it.
"I am so thankful to the gaffer for including me and starting me, and involving me in all the games.
"The crowds were massive, although playing in a baseball stadium was a bit of a weird one! I really enjoyed it."
Certainly, Wright hasn't been one to hang around since arriving from Salford City last August. He was thrust straight into a first-team friendly appearance at Anfield against Athletic Bilbao when replacing Florian Wirtz from the bench, but a few weeks later suffered a knee injury mere minutes into his UEFA Youth League debut against Atletico Madrid that ruled him out for more than three months.
On his second Premier League 2 appearance since returning in January, he scored one goal and created two others in the 7-0 thrashing of Arsenal, and in his final seven outings contributed five strikes and three assists.
"The end of last season showed what I was about," says Wright. "When I first came in, maybe I wasn't settled or adapted at first, but the injury was maybe an opportunity to get settled and get comfortable.
"When I came back, I was used to the team and the people around me, and I think that showed in my form."
Those displays were sufficient for Wright to be included by then Liverpool boss Arne Slot on the first-team bench for four of the final five Premier League games of the campaign, including a trip to Manchester United and the visit of Chelsea.
"It was a dream come true, really," he says. "Not many 18-year-olds can say they have been on the bench in the Premier League. Arne has gone now, but I am so thankful for him.
"Being involved in matchdays and seeing what it's like, it has made me hungry for more and you get addicted to it. Hopefully I can get more of them in the future."
Wright has been among a group of Academy youngsters to have trained regularly with the first team, and believes his experience in pre-season has highlighted the standard he must now achieve if he is to make a permanent breakthrough into the senior Liverpool set-up.
"I have got levels to improve but it shows where I have to get to, working around the likes of Alex (Isak) and Fede (Chiesa) and everyone like that," he says. "First touch, everything I can work on every day and by watching them every day.
"It's important for me to be able to look at them and know that's the level I hopefully can get to if I want to play for Liverpool in the future.
"They are all welcoming, there's not a single bad egg in there. They are all lovely people, there's a good feeling in training and a good motive in training, so I'm really looking forward to training there more often."
While a number of Academy players are being primed for a loan move before next Tuesday's transfer deadline, Wright is expected to continue his development at Liverpool. What, then, should this season hold for the teenager?
"A full debut would be great, obviously," says Wright. "But I'll be aiming to score over 10 goals in PL2 and keep kicking on and doing as well as I can."
The young striker's rapid progress at Liverpool thus far suggests you wouldn't bet against it.