Stefan Bajcetic reflects on rise to Liverpool first team

Stefan Bajcetic has praised the support of Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool teammates after blossoming into a key starter for the Reds.

Midfield has been a major area of concern for Liverpool this season. A number of senior stars struggled at the same time, prompting Klopp to turn to 18-year-old Bajcetic.

The Spaniard has now made 17 appearances in all competitions and has been praised by both Klopp and a number of teammates, including forward Mohamed Salah, who hailed Bajcetic as the team's best midfielder in recent months.

“I’m just trying to help the team and at the same time, I’m trying to learn as well," Bajcetic told The Times of his rise to prominence. "I need to keep working hard.

“I want to stay here [in the team]. I’m smiling because I wasn’t expecting it to happen this quick or this early in my life. But I am taking it — 100%, I’m taking it!

“He [Klopp] sees me every day in training and he tells me to show my confidence. He likes my intensity, I think. He wants me to be intense but calm with the ball.”

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Bajcetic is known to be close to fellow Spaniard Thiago Alcantara, whose fathers also played together at Celta Vigo, while glowing praise from the likes of Salah shows just how quickly the teenager has been welcomed into the first-team fold.

“It is always nice when these big players trust you," Bajcetic continued. "They give you the ball. When they are in a tough situation on the pitch, they look for you to help. They will give me the ball in a situation that is tough for me, but they believe in me.

“It gives me a lot of confidence, definitely. They are massive players. If they trust me, then it makes me feel tall. It makes me feel good, like I am a better player.

“Since I came here, since I trained that first day, I have always talked to him [Thiago]. I’m Spanish, so I wanted to speak and he has been helping me a lot. He has been massive for me, to give me confidence. He introduced me to the other players and I am learning a lot from his game. It is all so good.”

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On this week's edition of TFP, Harry Symeou hosts Grizz Khan, Scott Saunders and Hunter Godson to preview the weekend's Premier League action, including Man Utd's trip to Anfield to face Liverpool.

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