"Did I ever think I was going to be playing for Liverpool in the Premier League? Probably not, but when I'm called upon, I just wanted to do my best."

This time last season, Freddie Woodman was sidelined with injury for Preston North End as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship.

Fast forward a year and he was thrown into a crucial Merseyside derby after Giorgi Mamardashvili was injured in the second half of Liverpool's win at Everton.

The former England youth international - signed as a third-choice keeper on a free transfer last summer - was making his first Premier League appearance since 2021.

That was one of four top-flight matches during eight years at Newcastle - although he was loaned to six teams in that time, before joining Preston in 2022.

Woodman made 138 appearances for Preston over three seasons before leaving at the end of his contract - and has had to get used to a new role at Liverpool.

"It's tough," Woodman, 29, said of being a third-choice keeper. "I am new to this role. When the opportunity came along I was a bit unsure whether to do it and as a third choice I am still learning on the job.

"I quickly realised that my game time is going to be limited and that I would probably be called upon for 10, 20 minutes, and when that time comes, I just wanted to be prepared.

"And so the eight months where I'm training, I'm just thinking about those 10 minutes, those 20 minutes, where you are nervous, but you can rely on all the preparation that you've done - and that's what I tried to do.

"Being third choice is, from what I've seen, more important than what I thought coming in.

"You are trying to have a relationship with the lads, so if Dom [Szoboszlai] wants to do extra free-kicks, I want to be there to help him. If Mo [Salah] wants to do extra shooting, I want to be there to help him.

"So it's just trying to find a different role within the team and realising how important it is."

Derby bow caps superb weekend for family

Asked about that ability to put himself second on a daily basis, Woodman said: "It's easy here. You know, Mo Salah is coming to you and saying he wants to do extra shooting. It's every kid's dream...

"And to build a relationship with Robbo [Andy Robertson], Curtis [Jones], Cody [Gakpo], Virgil [van Dijk]... I saw these guys last season as superstars. And you come in and you realise that they're just normal blokes and they're good people and it's been really nice to build those relationships."

After Sunday's game, Liverpool boss Arne Slot praised Woodman, who made one save to deny Iliman Ndiaye after coming on.

"He just said that I worked all season without getting a lot of credit. But I'm happy with that," Woodman said.

"He was just happy for me and for me to shake his hand after the game, realising I felt like I'd done the best I can, is a nice moment."

With Alisson still out with a hamstring injury and Mamardashvili facing a spell on the sidelines, Woodman looks set to play against his boyhood club Crystal Palace at Anfield this weekend.

"It would be unreal, incredible, to get another game in the Premier League and for Liverpool," he said.

"I grew up supporting Palace, I was a ball boy there and played against them in the Carabao Cup [this season]. I want Giorgi to be fine and then Ali, the best goalkeeper in the world, to come back fit.

"We'll see what happens on Saturday. I will just go about my stuff this week and prepare as if I am playing."

Woodman's top-flight debut for Liverpool capped a superb weekend for his family, with his father Andy - a former goalkeeper, who now manages Bromley - celebrating promotion to League One for the first time in club history on Saturday.

"I was actually enjoying this Merseyside derby at the new stadium and then I was chucked into it at the deep end, so it was a good weekend for [my] family," Woodman said.

"Yeah, it was a little nerve-racking. But the nerves fuel you to want to do well and not to let people down.

"You come on and you think about the eight months that have gone past where you've worked every day for this one moment. When you're called upon, you just want to be reliable.

"That's what it feels like and to be honest, I was happy to get over the line but then to win it the way we did [with Van Dijk's 100th-minute header] was incredible." (BBC)

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