First there was a glare, then there was a growl and finally there was a gesture. It was 34 minutes into Neco Williams’s first Premier League start when he truly understood what standards a Liverpool player must keep.
The Wales Under-21 right-back had been given an opportunity to start on the other side of the pitch, as Jurgen Klopp wanted to preserve Andrew Robertson. Williams, a quiet and unassuming young man, had caught the eye with his effervescence and use of the ball.
Williams is one of a clutch of novices who are blossoming in Klopp’s squad, thriving with fellow teenagers Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.