Leighton Clarkson -> Aberdeen

Leighton Clarkson joined Liverpool's Academy at a very young age and signed a new long-term contract in July 2020.

A creative midfielder who hails from Clitheroe in Lancashire, he has a good range of passing and has excellent delivery from set-pieces.

Leighton made his U18s debut as an U16 player in 2017-18 and is now a regular for the U18s and U19s.

In 2018-19, Leighton was also part of the victorious FA Youth Cup squad after the dramatic penalty shootout victory over Manchester City in the final. He would then sign his first professional contract with the club on July 22, 2019, before being handed a long-term deal a year later.

Leighton made his senior debut for the club when he came off the bench at Aston Villa in the League Cup in December 2019, and then made his first start in the FA Cup fourth-round replay win over Shrewsbury Town at Anfield.

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/academy/player/leighton-clarkson

Huge step up tonight for him and for me he done ok.. Has an eye for a pass.

Good first half from the young man with some crisp passing and got stuck in physically too. Faded a bit in the second half but a pretty good performance overall.

Agreed, really good first half, faded a little, but that was expected in the 2nd half. Just some of his passes had just too much ooooomph on them, that will come with more game time.

Agreed, really good first half, faded a little, but that was expected in the 2nd half. Just some of his passes had just too much ooooomph on them, that will come with more game time.

yep I noticed that as well. First-half display from him was quite good though

He could be proud of himself yesterday

Good first half from the young man with some crisp passing and got stuck in physically too. Faded a bit in the second half but a pretty good performance overall.

Agree. I know last night wasn't a great overall team performance, but how much better is it for a player at this experience level to be playing with most veterans around him, compared to some of those domestic cup lineups we ran out last season where it was basically a U20 team run out all together?

We'll see if Clarkson has another opportunity to feature for the first team this season, but at least he gets his little video in his head of what it's actually like as he continues pursuing his development.

A good lad and a good player

From what I saw last night he's bang average.

From what I saw last night he's bang average.

Should have gone to specsavers.

Should have gone to specsavers.

I've set that bar so high that he needs to destroy our opponent singlehandedly at every match to impress me. No, I'm not impressed. We'll talk when he plays like Maradona in 1986 or like Ronaldo or Messi.

These kids need a high bar to succeed. We need to push them hard until they reach the edge. That's how they'll make us fans happy by winning games for us.

He did well but average, we won't see him near our starting XI. He needs that magic like Curtis have in him.

I've set that bar so high that he needs to destroy our opponent singlehandedly at every match to impress me. No, I'm not impressed. We'll talk when he plays like Maradona in 1986 or like Ronaldo or Messi.

These kids need a high bar to succeed. We need to push them hard until they reach the edge. That's how they'll make us fans happy by winning games for us.

I'm not sure Maradona '86 prime is enough Ruth.

If this Clarkson kid doesn't score the CL final winner this season he's out. Divock did it so why can't he? It's just not good enough.

He did well but average, we won't see him near our starting XI. He needs that magic like Curtis have in him.

To me he looks a different player to Curtis. I can't tell yet if he'll have as good a chance as Curtis does of making it into our first team squad, but he definitely seems to be more of a ball playing number 6 than Curtis, who is more of an attacking midfielder or '8'. Our Brazilian fans might call Clarkson a 'volante', or a 'water carrier'. I don't think he's got as much going forward as Curtis does, but he seems a tidy player to play deep in a midfield three. Clearly his physical attributes aren't going to make him a Fabinho type there, but he could become quite a good deep playmaker. Look forward to watching his development, but the starting XI is a long long way off.

I'm not sure Maradona '86 prime is enough Ruth.

If this Clarkson kid doesn't score the CL final winner this season he's out. Divock did it so why can't he? It's just not good enough.

Yeah, I’m now gonna give him a break. Just a kid. I’m sure his family would be proud of him. Let’s hope he works hard and makes it in the game. I wish him all the best. A Liverpool player after all. If we don’t back him who will? I’d be guilty of making premature judgements and that’s terrible.

Yeah, I’m now gonna give him a break. Just a kid. I’m sure his family would be proud of him. Let’s hope he works hard and makes it in the game. I wish him all the best. A Liverpool player after all. If we don’t back him who will? I’d be guilty of making premature judgements and that’s terrible.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

He over hit a lot of passes, he misplaced a couple of passes in very dangerous areas, but Klopp said in the presser that he didn't show in that particular game half of what he can do. Granted, he said that about Naby a few months after he signed, but Jesus this guy is barely out of nappies.

To me he looks a different player to Curtis. I can't tell yet if he'll have as good a chance as Curtis does of making it into our first team squad, but he definitely seems to be more of a ball playing number 6 than Curtis, who is more of an attacking midfielder or '8'. Our Brazilian fans might call Clarkson a 'volante', or a 'water carrier'. I don't think he's got as much going forward as Curtis does, but he seems a tidy player to play deep in a midfield three. Clearly his physical attributes aren't going to make him a Fabinho type there, but he could become quite a good deep playmaker. Look forward to watching his development, but the starting XI is a long long way off.

Yes, I agree that he is a different type of player but he does not have that flair and spark. Kante and Scholes were never that big but have the determination. I hope that he develops into a hell of a player.

Season-long loan to Blackburn Rovers. Hopefully it works out as well for him as it seems to have for Harvey Elliott.

Season-long loan to Blackburn Rovers. Hopefully it works out as well for him as it seems to have for Harvey Elliott.

I'm excited to see how he does.

Season-long loan to Blackburn Rovers. Hopefully it works out as well for him as it seems to have for Harvey Elliott.

He's at a stage where he needs regular playing time, so it should be a good move for him. He's also from the area which will help him.
We can only hope they'll take good care of him, just as they did with Harvey.

He doesn't seem to be getting a lot of opportunities at Blackburn, which is a shame because I really rate the lad, and was hoping for a repeat of what they did with Harvey...

He doesn't seem to be getting a lot of opportunities at Blackburn, which is a shame because I really rate the lad, and was hoping for a repeat of what they did with Harvey...

Lot of my mates Rovers fans and lot of them say very lightweight not suited at all whereas they said Harvey was just a different animal all together