Derby County took a heavily rotated Liverpool XI to penalties in their Carabao Cup third-round tie at Anfield after a 0-0 draw, but Calvin Ramsay impressed on his long-awaited full debut.
The Lowdown: Ramsay’s long wait
The right-back joined in the summer from Aberdeen for around £6.5m, but the 19-year-old has had to wait for his first start, with his only other appearance being a three-minute cameo against Napoli in the Champions League.
The defender has been injured since his first day of pre-season, before finally making a matchday squad against former Scottish foes Rangers but suffered another setback after that.
Finally fit again, he was named in the starting XI against Derby with much anticipation, and he did not disappoint.
The Latest: Laying down a marker
The Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year last season showcased his outstanding ability on the ball, making an astonishing 105 passes with an accuracy of 95% as per SofaScore.
Journalist Bence Bocsak was quick to praise the Scotland international after noting that he had completed the most passes of anyone on the pitch.
“(He) seemed capable of dictating the play from right-back. Looked very comfortable for a player who was only making his first start for the club,” Bocsak tweeted.
“Bright future ahead,” he added.
The Verdict: Needs more chances
Whilst it was a stunning way to announce your arrival to the Liverpool fans, it is still early days for the youngster, and it will take some work to fight his way into the first team.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and James Milner are all capable of playing as a right-back, and all three have vastly more experience.
However, with Alexander-Arnold in inconsistent form, should the Scotland international impress when given more chances, then he could earn himself more regular game time as the season progresses.
As Liverpool have made it to the next round of the Carabao Cup, the teenager will hope to make another start in the tie which is set to take place shortly after the World Cup final in Qatar.
