Trey Nyoni relishing the ‘ultimate test’ in his Liverpool development

Liverpool's Trey Nyoni celebrates scoring their side's first goal. Pic: Adam Davy/Press Association.

Trey Nyoni’s first-team breakthrough has been a rapid learning curve for the 19-year-old but Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola’s faith has helped make him feel he belongs.

After a first Premier League start against Arsenal at the weekend, the teenager was Liverpool’s best player in the chaotic Champions League defeat to Fenerbahce.

In the space of a few days the midfielder has come up against Declan Rice and Ngolo Kante, two of the very best in the position at their peak, and has not been overshadowed.

Nyoni’s potential was one of the reasons Liverpool allowed Curtis Jones to join Inter Milan in the summer but after one Carabao Cup start in his first five appearances this season, he has now been in the team for five of his last seven games.

“(This week) is the ultimate test for me, the ultimate challenge. If I want to get where I want to get to, I have to be able to compete against the best players in the world,” he said.

“The last week has been a really good learning experience but I have to keep going.

“It is new to me, playing this many games, I didn’t even do that in the academy.

“Slowly and steadily I am adjusting to the pace and tempo of the game now that you have to learn quick. There’s a lot I have to learn, but I am enjoying it.” 

Iraola has spoken highly of Nyoni and other academy graduates like Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas and has backed that up by asking them to make significant contributions already.

“I don’t get nervous, never. The faith in youth the manager has and the players around me have in me helps me settle a lot more,” added Nyoni.

“Being young, there are lots of senior players around me who help me a lot. I just want to stay as I am.

“We (the younger players) are always pushing each other (but we) never get too ahead of ourselves.

“Obviously, we are young and doing well but ultimately our aim is to help the team try to win games and set an example for the next guys coming through the academy.” Nyoni scored his first senior goal in the Fenerbahce defeat, becoming Liverpool’s youngest player to register his maiden strike in the Champions League.

“I am proud. It’s been a long time coming. I don’t even know these emotions I have, it is a bit weird. I am happy to score my first goal for Liverpool,” he said.

Liverpool are understood to be in talks to improve a five-year contract Nyoni signed on his 18th birthday last summer, which is a reflection of the progress he has made already.

“At the minute I am just leaving to my agents to sort out,” said the midfielder, who joined from Leicester in 2023 for the nominal fee of £1million.

“My main focus right now is playing football, performing every time I go on the pitch. The off-the-pitch stuff, I leave it to them to do.”