Liverpool defender Tiago Ilori is hoping his performances in the FA Cup have forced him into manager Jurgen Klopp’s plans.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the Portuguese Under-21 international said:
I always thought there could be a future here. That’s why I signed for Liverpool in the first place. I just try and work hard every day.
Players get experience by playing. I played alongside Lucas and he didn’t look at me and think: ‘he’s not as experienced’ and I didn’t look at him and think: ‘he’s the most experienced player’.
The 22-year-old, who saw a loan spell at Aston Villa cut short earlier last month, impressed in a makeshift Liverpool side and his partnership with Lucas stood out in just his third senior appearance for the Reds.
With injuries and fitness worries within the squad, Klopp has kick started Ilori’s Liverpool career by trusting the youngster in the cup, and given him his first starts since he moved to Merseyside in a £7m deal from Sporting Lisbon.
The Reds crashed out of the cup after Angelo Ogbonna nodded home the winner deep into extra-time. Klopp’s side missed several goal scoring chances and Ilori insists that he felt the defeat was harsh on his team mates:
We didn’t get the result we think we deserved and the one we fought for, but that’s football.
We worked hard, we managed to make some clear cut chances, but we didn’t make the right decisions at the right times.
With Liverpool still fighting for success in the Premier League, Capital One Cup and the Europa League, the young defender has a chance to impress Klopp and further push his claims to be a part of the future at Anfield.
Given the inconsistency and injuries to the likes of Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure, Ilori could very well succeed in his task.
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