View: 86% Conor Bradley proves Liverpool boss Arne Slot right v Real Madrid
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was proved right as Conor Bradley shone at Anfield against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
The Reds won the Champions League clash 2-0 against the 15-time winners as Alexis Mac Allister scored the opening goal as both Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah missed from the penalty spot before Cody Gakpo wrapped up the contest.
First-choice right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was deemed to only be fit enough for the substitutes bench as he continued his recovery from a hamstring injury suffered in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa (9 November).
Slot could have went with the more experienced Joe Gomez but placed his trust in the Northern Irishman to handle Kylian Mbappe on the left-wing, one of the best attackers in world football and he did with aplomb, putting in a Man of the Match performance, assisting the opener and making a fantastic last-ditch challenge on the Frenchman.
Liverpool can afford to lose Alexander-Arnold due to Bradley’s emergence
The Reds risk losing Alexander-Arnold, one of the best footballers in the world, on a free transfer in just over a month with the player free to negotiate with foreign clubs.
Madrid have been heavily linked with the star, whose contract expires in the summer, but with Bradley’s emergence that does not look like such a big loss right now.
Alexander-Arnold is fantastic, especially from an attacking sense, however, Slot will not be too concerned after what he saw from Bradley on Wednesday night.
The Northern Irishman recorded an assist, had an 86 per cent passing accuracy, created one chance, had three touches in the opposition box and made eight passes into the final third. [Fotmob]
Defensively, he won two of his four attempted tackles for a 50 per cent success rate, won seven of his 11 ground duels for a 64 per cent success rate, 100 per cent of his aerial duels and made nine ball recoveries.
A ‘there is only one Conor Bradley’ chant rang round Anfield several times, which is probably the most ringing endorsement of his fantastic performance.
Bradley has gone from playing in League One for Bolton two years ago to the Man of the Match against Real Madrid, bullying Mbappe in the process, that is a seismic rise to the top level.
In other Liverpool news, Opta’s Super Computer has predicted the Reds to win the Premier League.
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