Tim Sherwood was impressed by Tyler Morton but thinks the Liverpool debutant needs time before he can play as a no.6 in the Premier League.
What a way to make your debut. Talk about a baptism of fire. Spurs had 10 days off due to postponed games and then Morton was thrown in without warning.
On the whole, he held his own quite well and the circumstances couldn’t have been more challenging. Naby Keita had a decent game but he was just returning from injury. Meanwhile, 35-year-old James Milner isn’t the most dynamic, so Morton had his work cut out.
He was booked early in the game and had to tread lightly against a very competitive opponent. Yet, I think he can hold his head high and his family should be very proud.
Speaking to Premier League Productions (19/12/21 at 7:10 pm), Sherwood believes it is too soon for the youngster to play at the base of midfield in the Premier League for Liverpool, even though he is very good on the ball.
“With the young boy Morton, as the six,” said Sherwood. “I think he is a decent player on the ball, but he’s not ready to play in there on his own.
“To be the only protection, with Trent and Robertson just vacating them areas and playing as wingers really.
“I think with Henderson, I can understand it, even without Van Dijk. But you have to tweak it sometimes without Van Dijk.”
In another game, with Thiago and Henderson around him, and Virgil van Dijk behind to offer that extra layer of protection, it might have been a different story.
He only played 23 accurate passes in his 60 minutes on the pitch which speaks volumes about his involvement on the pitch. Yet it is a big step up to senior football.