‘Oh my God…’ – EPL captain couldn’t believe how good Liverpool gem is until coming up against him

Given the proliferation of data and video analysis which is available from fixtures at the highest level of English football, you wouldn’t think there’d be too many secrets about players at Premier League level.

However, one top-flight captain admitted to being shocked by the talent possessed by Conor Bradley when he came up against the Liverpool youngster earlier this season.

Tom Cairney was in opposition to the 20-year-old in both legs of the Reds’ Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham in January, and it was only them that the Cottagers ace realised how good the Northern Ireland right-back really is.

Speaking on the Footballer’s Football Podcast, the Scotland international said: “I made the same mistake with Liverpool and Conor Bradley. I was like ‘Willian, get at him, he’s young, he’s fresh.’ Mate, he was the best player on the pitch. I was like ‘Oh my God!’ Have you seen what he’s done this season? He’s been an absolute joke!”

At the time that Liverpool met Fulham in that Carabao Cup double header, Bradley was still widely regarded as an up-and-coming youngster reliant on domestic cups and Europa League group games for first-team involvement at Anfield.

However, the subsequent injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold saw him thrust into the Reds’ starting XI on a regular basis, and he’s made that biggest of leaps look incredibly easy, offering a defensive maturity and forward-thinking energy along the right flank.

With the vice-captain expected to be back fit by the time we visit Craven Cottage on 21 April, Cairney might be spared facing the 20-year-old once more this season, although we can’t imagine he’d be too thrilled to see the West Derby native in the LFC line-up either.

If the extent of Bradley’s talent came as a surprise to Fulham’s players and the wider world at the start of 2024, the cat is well and truly out of the bag now after a sries of accomplished displays from the Liverpool youngster.

The Cottagers captain has seen a lot in football, having made nearly 500 senior appearances, so it says a lot about the Tyrone native that he left the 33-year-old midfielder mindblown by his ability.