Steven Gerrard has said Rhian Brewster’s determination to succeed at Liverpool will intensify following the ankle injury that could keep the striker out of action for several months.
The 17-year-old, who won the Golden Boot at the Under-17 World Cup with England last October, sustained an ankle sprain and ligament damage in a fall against Manchester City’s under-23s on Friday. He will undergo further tests to determine the extent of the problem but will be out for three to four months should surgery be required.
Brewster has flourished at under‑23 level this season and for Gerrard’s under‑19s in the Uefa Youth League. He would have featured in Saturday’s FA Youth Cup tie against Arsenal and Gerrard believes the setback will give the player a greater appreciation of his potential career.
Liverpool’s under-18s manager said: “I don’t know the full extent [of the injury] or the complete timescale but it is going to be a good while. He was in a good place, doing well for the under-23s and under-19s and flying internationally.
“This happens to every footballer. You have setbacks, you grow and you learn from them as much as the good things that happen to you. He will be missing it and realise what a good position he was in and he will be desperate to get back. Hopefully he comes back hungry and into top form as soon as possible.”
Liverpool under-18s are to play the fourth-round tie at Anfield at the request of Gerrard, who wants to test the players on a bigger stage and in front of a larger crowd. Liverpool are opening the Kop for the 3pm kick-off .
Gerrard said: “I hope we get a big crowd because it will give the players a taste of what it feels like for real. Preparing for a Saturday game at three o’clock in an iconic stadium, with people turning out to watch you, that brings the pressures they will be under further on in their careers. It also gives us a chance to judge them in that environment because we need to know what they are like under this type of pressure.”