To score against United was magic as a Kop fan... but my dream is to be in the first team
Steve Bates
AS football educations go, it does not get much better than having Jurgen Klopp and Frank Lampard in your corner.
Little wonder Liverpool’s tip for stardom Harry Wilson, currently lighting up the Championship on loan at Derby, is dreaming big.
And that’s why when he watches the Merseyside derby at Anfield today, 21-year-old Wilson will be hoping next season he’ll be lining up alongside big pals Trent Alexander-arnold and Joe Gomez.
Few at Derby, including Lampard ( right), would disagree after his impact since arriving at Pride Park at the start of the season.
For Wales winger Wilson is delivering performances that Kop boss Klopp just can’t ignore.
Compelling
And with wide-men like Borussia Dortmund’s American star Christian Pulisic on Klopp’s radar, Wilson is making a compelling case for a chance at Liverpool next season.
Wilson revealed: “I sat down with Jurgen Klopp at Melwood in the summer, and we both agreed after doing well at Hull last season it would be good to be on loan again and playing regularly.
“Plenty of clubs wanted me but as soon as I knew Derby were interested, me and my agent Lee Robinson had a good feeling.
“I couldn’t be happier. Derby are doing well and hopefully we’ll push for promotion. To be learning from a legend like Frank Lampard is fantastic. I’m soaking up everything he’s telling me. It’s going really well.”
Sparkling performances, assists and spectacular goals – two more yesterday against Swansea – have accelerated Wilson’s reputation, increasing his belief he can break into Liverpool’s first-team squad next season.
He said: “That’s the aim. I’ll be looking at Trent and Joe today and hoping I’m playing with them next season.
“It’s nice to see young lads doing well, but when it’s your mates you have grown up and played with it makes it even better.
“Trent had an amazing year last year playing in so many games and then a Champions League final before going to the World Cup.
“And if Joe hadn’t been injured towards the end of the season, he would have done the same I’m sure.
“When you look at the attacking talent at Liverpool it’s awesome, but you’ve got to be confident in your own ability otherwise you have no
Gchance.” Wilson, who shares a house with Chelsea teenager and fellow Derby loanee Mason Mount, added: “It’s always going to be difficult to break in to a team with big stars like Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
“But I trained with those guys for over a year before I went on loan to Hull in January and it raised my game.
Watching
“When you get a chance out on loan you have to shine so when I do go back I’ll be in better shape to impress the manager.”
Wilson, who made his debut for Wales aged just 16, knows Klopp is watching – and Kop pals like James Milner and Adam Lallana too.
All three were quick to text him after his wonder-strike free-kick helped knock Manchester United out of the EFL Cup in September.
He admitted: “To score that goal as a Liverpool fan at Old Trafford was a special moment.
“In the dressing room afterwards, the signal wasn’t that great. I had a couple of texts from my girlfriend and my mum and dad.
“Then when I went on Twitter and Instagram, my phone just nearly blew up.
“When I watched the goal back on Twitter I didn’t realise it was as good as it was.
“At the time it happened so fast it was just a blur.
“On the bus back ack to
Derby I sat and watched it over and over again and it’s definitely the best st goal I’ve ever r scored given the e stage it was on.
“I had a message ge off
Jurgen that night. .
“He said, ‘ Great reat game, great goal’. .
“He thought it was a really good strike, e, but he was more pleased eased with my overall erall performance rather ather than just the goal. l.
“It was nice to hear from him.
“Then a few of the players messaged ed me like James and Adam saying, ‘Well done, e, mate’.
“I was training ng with them for over a year and got to know them m before going to Hull, so I formed a good friendship and learned a lot.
“To have people e like that who have done it in the Premier League for years messaging ing you is nice. It means such a lot.” ”