Freddie Woodman ready to swim after being ‘chucked into deep end’ at Liverpool

Third-choice keeper’s top-flight debut came on weekend his dad took Bromley up – and now he may start against his boyhood club

It was a weekend the Woodman family will never forget. On Saturday, Andy celebrated his second promotion in three seasons as manager of Bromley, taking the club into League One for the first time in their history, and on Sunday his son Freddie made his Premier League debut for Liverpool in their historic win at Hill Dickinson Stadium. And dad and lad may not be done yet.

Liverpool’s season had been bereft of “big moments” – to use Arne Slot’s description – until Virgil van Dijk scoreda 100th-minute winner that clinched victory in the first Merseyside derby at Everton’s new stadium. That big moment may not be surpassed for Liverpool this season and also rewarded Freddie Woodman’s decision to become their third-choice goalkeeper when his contract with Preston expired last summer. A 58th-minute replacement for the injured Giorgi Mamardashvili, the 29-year-old played his part as Liverpool tormented their local rivals yet again and closed in on Champions League qualification in the process.