Conor Bradley and Liverpool show how coaching and cohesion can obliterate a £1bn project

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. That was pretty special, I have to say.” If his faith in Bradley first became apparent when he sent him on after 75 minutes at Arsenal, with an FA Cup tie level, to mark Gabriel Martinelli and free Alexander-Arnold up to move into midfield, the vice-captain’s injury afforded an opportunity. open image in gallery Bradley assisted twice and scored against Chelsea But Klopp has long been impressed: with Bradley in pre-season last year, then on loan at Bolton last year, when he won both promotion and Wanderers’ Player of the Year award, then again in another pre-season before injury derailed his campaign. Perhaps it was fitting Bradley’s star turn came against Chelsea because Klopp has never viewed transfers as the answer to everything. Bradley is in the form of his life, a buccaneering figure who only made three appearances for Liverpool in 2023 but now ranks behind only Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Alexander-Arnold for assists this season.