WONDERKID WOODY’S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
Loan ranger Ben goes from Liverpool to Oxford... via Madrid
COMING on as a substitute in front of fewer than 3,000 fans last Tuesday just two months after sitting astride the gleaming Champions League trophy was a stark reality check for Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn.
The teenager – who at 17 years and 45 days had once become the Anfield club’s youngest scorer, eclipsing Michael Owen – is now on loan at League One side Oxford United.
And while his parent club prepared for the European Super Cup clash against Chelsea in Istanbul, Woodburn was tasked with helping Oxford remove fellow League One side Peterborough United from the Carabao Cup at the Kassam Stadium.
Stalled
That 1-0 victory on Tuesday night was a small step along the road to restarting a career which has stalled since the heady days when he hit that Reds record-breaking goal against Leeds United in the League Cup in 2016 – then scored on his debut for Wales the following year.
But with frontline opportunities at Anfield limited by the club’s dynamic trio of Mo Salah, Sadio S di Mane M and dr Roberto b t Fi Firmino, i t teen striker t ik Woodburn was sent on loan at the start of last season to Sheffield United.
It didn’t work out. Blades boss Chris Wilder cut the arrangement short, which largely condemned a disillusioned Woodburn to Liverpool’s Under-23s side.
Wilder recalled: “The loan didn’t go well for a number of reasons. Like seven or eight other players at the time he couldn’t get into the team because of the form of others.
“Just because he came from Liverpool didn’t make him a special case. He didn’t do anything wrong and he is a good player, a real talent.”
At least the return to the club which first nurtured him as a seven- year- old saw Woodburn, 19, enjoy an end to last season that was in stark contrast to its beginning.
He was on the bench for the sensational night when Liverpool defied the odds to crush Barcelona 4-0 in the Champions League semifinal second leg, and then travelled to Madrid as an unused squad member for the final victory over Tottenham.
Flying back to Merseyside in business class he was pictured holding the trophy with Trent Alexander-arnold.
Klopp, who still believes the young forward has h a future ft at t A Anfield, fi ld decided d id d another th loan l move this season would be beneficial. Woodburn agreed to join up with Oxford, where life-long Liverpool fan Karl Robinson is the manager.
“Karl has done well with young players in the past, like with Dele Alli when he was at MK Dons,” said Woodburn.
John Aldridge, whose own goalscoring feats at Oxford saw him move to Liverpool and become a Kop idol, believes it’s the right move.
Impact
“I was at the game when he came on and scored to take Michael Owen’s record,” said Aldridge. “It put his name up in lights. But sometimes then it doesn’t happen like it did for the likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who also made an early impact.
“Ben’s confidence obviously took a knock when he went to Sheffield United. He’s now at a good club with great, understanding fans.
“He’s got to get amongst the goals, ignore any criticism, and prove people wrong. I know he has a lot of support within Anfield.”
Wales boss Ryan Giggs said: “Ben’s had a tough time but can play anywhere across the front three or as No.10 and score. In training he scores goals that other players just can’t.”