KID FROM THE KOP WHO’S GOING TO THE TOP

Derby loan star Wilson is on the up — and Klopp knows it!

Seven minutes were left on the clock at Pride Park when Frank Lampard took off Harry Wilson.

Lampard had watched the young midfielder toy with Brentford’s defence and score his first goal for Derby, and he wanted to give him a chance to take stock of what had been a memorable afternoon.

‘there’s only one Harry Wilson,’ sang the Derby supporters. the 21-year-old, on loan from Liverpool, clapped the fans as he walked off. nothing over the top. nothing fazed him.

But then Wilson is used to these environments. A crowd of 25,110 must seem relatively small given that, five years ago, he became the youngest player to play for Wales (at 16 years and 207 days) in front of nearly twice as many fans in Brussels against Belgium.

He was sent on with three minutes to play that night, and his development hasn’t been rushed since, with this season-long loan following shorter spells at Crewe and Hull.

there is regular dialogue between Wilson and Jurgen Klopp. ‘Harry’s development in the last few years is really exceptional so of course we had to keep the boy,’ Klopp said after Wilson signed a five-year contract during the summer.

Wilson joined Derby with Klopp’s blessing. ‘He’s very easy to approach, and when he talks to you he gives you honest advice and it makes you feel good because that’s what you want when you go and speak to a manager,’ Wilson said. ‘You want him to be honest with you, tell you where you are, and he does that, definitely.’

Wilson is also aware that this season is his big audition and a chance to demonstrate what he has learned at melwood. ‘i came here because i wanted to play in an attacking team who play good football, and show the manager back at Liverpool and the staff that i can play in a free-flowing team against good teams week in, week out,’ he said.

it was a sweeping move started by mason mount, another of Derby’s young loanees, from Chelsea, that led to Wilson’s 14th-minute equaliser, after Henrik Dalsgaard had scored for Brentford after 44 seconds.

After mount passed forward to Wilson, the winger darted forward and linked with Craig Bryson as the pair got closer to the Brentford goal before he sidefooted into the net.

His next contribution was perhaps the best example of what Klopp and Lampard want him to do. Derby were 2-1 up after David nugent’s goal, and Wilson didn’t let the Brentford defence settle. His run inside from the left drew central defender Chris mepham out of position, Wilson carried on but was clipped on the edge of the area by mepham. mount scored from the free-kick, curling the ball into the left corner and out of goalkeeper Daniel Bentley’s reach.

Wilson’s movement was similar to that of sadio mane and gave the scouts of Derby’s next opponents, manchester united, something to think about. Derby play Jose mourinho’s side in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Old trafford tomorrow.

For Wilson, a Liverpool fan who grew up with steven Gerrard’s name on the back of his many replica shirts, winning would be a dream come true.

‘every Liverpool fan, every Liverpool player wants to go to Old trafford and win every time we go there,’ he said. ‘ But we know they’re a good team so we’ll have to be on the top of our game.’

some Liverpool fans have likened Wilson to Fernando torres because of his baby-faced looks and hairstyle. the comparison is met by laughter when it is put to him.

‘i’ve had that quite a lot on social media,’ Wilson said. ‘i don’t see it, but i think a lot of the fans do.’

no doubt he would like to achieve what torres has in the game.

‘i’d be delighted if i could achieve half of what he’s done, with his goalscoring record and the trophies he’s won as well,’ said Wilson.

Lampard, who played alongside torres at Chelsea, thinks Wilson can. ‘if he can play like he did today, he has every chance,’ he said.