I HOPE REDS STILL DON’T KNOW ME
REDS GO MARCHING ON TO LEAVE ICT BOTTOM
RYAN FRASER announced himself against Liverpool last year – but the Scot reckons he is still a football nobody Jurgen Klopp’s men probably won’t even know.
The former Aberdeen kid is still coming to terms with his rapid rise since his stunning breakthrough display in December.
He turned Bournemouth’s home game with Liverpool on its head when he came on with 35 minutes to go, inspiring the Cherries to a sensational comeback win.
Fraser, 23, won a penalty moments after entering the fray, scored another and set up Bournemouth’s equaliser as they hit back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to claim a spectacular 4-3 win.
Yet despite his incredible impact that day the humble, pint-sized wideman will be surprised if Liverpool left-back James Milner, whom he gave a torrid time, and his team-mates even remember who he is.
Ahead of tonight’s trip to Anfield, Fraser said: “No James Milner didn’t say anything to me after the game. He probably didn’t know who I was. I was a no one. I still am a no one so he won’t know who I am. He has probably forgotten about the game anyway.
“If you ask a lot of players in the league I don’t think they will know who I am. Fraser? I just came on the scene this season so maybe next season if I do well then teams might know me.”
Fraser hasn’t looked back since he last faced the Reds and earned a call-up for Scotland last month only to miss out due to injury.
He’s back fit now and hopes he can fly under the radar against Klopp’s men as they focus on other players in Eddie Howe’s side.
Fraser said: “I am sure when they come up against us they are focusing on people like Josh King and stuff like that, the bigger players rather than myself.
“If they don’t know my game I will try to impose that on them. Maybe I made an impression on them, I don’t know. We’ll see when we play them. I might say hello and see if James says hello back.”
Liverpool boosted their hopes of a top-four finish with a derby win over Everton at the weekend.
But they could now be without Sadio Mane for the season after he picked up a knee injury in that 3-1 win.
Asked whether the injury could be campaignending, Liverpool boss Klopp said: “Unfortunately that is possible but why should I say it now when I don’t know?
“The knee is swollen and we have to wait for the final assessment. It is not 100 per cent clear. The only thing I can say for sure is he will not be available for tomorrow.”
The last time Mane was absent for a long period, when he was at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, coincided with Liverpool’s worst run of the season, winning just once – against Plymouth – in seven games.
Klopp insists it was not just the forward’s absence that derailed their title bid as playmaker Philippe Coutinho was also making his way back from six weeks out with an ankle problem.
However, the German will hope the same effect is not felt as they seek to keep their place in the top four.
Klopp said: “Everyone would miss Sadio. Southampton probably still miss him, Red Bull Salzburg miss him.
“The big problem in January was not only Sadio missing. It was such a hard moment in January.
“We had all these games, it was not the freshest moment of the season.”