James McConnell (footballer, born 2004)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James William McConnell[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 13 September 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Liverpool | ||
| Number | 53 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Sunderland | ||
| 2019–2022 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | Liverpool | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:43, 21 February 2024 (UTC) | |||
James William McConnell (born 13 September 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool.
Career
[edit]McConnell joined Liverpool from Sunderland at U15 level. By the 2021–22 season, he had starting playing regularly for the Liverpool U18 side, having first started playing for them at 16 year-of-age.[3] He signed a professional contract with the club shortly after his seventeenth birthday.[4] This was extended in October 2022, as he agreed a long-term professional contract with Liverpool.[5]
He was included in Liverpool's 27-man squad to tour Singapore in July 2023.[6] He was singled out for praise from Jürgen Klopp for his efforts in Singapore,[7] as well as being praised by former players and journalists.[8][9] He was included in a Liverpool first team match day squad for the first time on 12 August 2023, named as a substitute in the Premier League against Chelsea.[10] He made his senior debut for Liverpool in a 5–1 UEFA Europa League victory over Toulouse at Anfield on 26 October 2023.[11] He made his Premier League debut on 12 November 2023, appearing as a late substitute for Dominik Szoboszlai, in a 3–0 home win over Brentford.[12]
McConnell made his first start for Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round match against Norwich City at Anfield on 28 January 2024, contributing an assist for Curtis Jones' first goal in an eventual 5–2 victory.[13]
He made an appearance from the bench as Liverpool won the 2024 EFL Cup final 1–0 against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on 25 February 2024.[14]
Style of play
[edit]Initially an attacking midfielder player, McConnell adapted his game to play as a holding midfield player under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Lijnders following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho from Liverpool in the summer of 2023.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool U21 | 2023–24[16] | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Liverpool | 2023–24[16] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Career total | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
- ^ Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
Honours
[edit]Liverpool
References
[edit]- ^ "2023/24 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ^ "James McConnell". Liverpoolfc. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Doyle, Ian (19 July 2023). "Who is James McConnell? Liverpool midfielder is no longer under the radar". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ Doyle, Ian (18 July 2023). "Jurgen Klopp assessing 18-year-old midfielder who has gone under Liverpool radar". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Andy (10 October 2022). "James McConnell signs new long-term LFC contract". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ Carroll, James (27 July 2023). "Liverpool name 27-man squad for pre-season trip to Singapore". Liverpoolfc.com. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool 'had problems and overcame them' in pre-season victory". BBC Sport. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ Rooney, Will (20 July 2023). "Charlie Adam raves about three Liverpool teenagers after friendly victory". News Yahoo. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ Pearce, James (3 August 2023). "Liverpool in Singapore:Attacking verve, defensive concerns, and Fabinho loss". The Athletic. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "CHELSEA VS. LIVERPOOL". Soccerway. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool 5-1 Toulouse: Clinical Reds cruise to Europa League win". BBC Sport. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "LIVERPOOL VS BRENTFORD 3-0". Soccerway. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool 5:2 Norwich City". BBC Sport. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Copley, James (26 February 2024). "Ex-Sunderland youth team player James McConnell wins Carabao Cup with Liverpool against Chelsea". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Pearce, James (26 February 2024). "The Liverpool kids who won the cup – with some help from Virgil van Dijk". The Athletic. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ a b "James McConnell". Soccerbase.
- ^ McNulty, Phil (25 February 2024). "Chelsea 0–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
External links
[edit]- Profile at the Liverpool F.C. website
- James McConnell – UEFA competition record (archive)
