I have to admit, Liverpool’s new era under Andoni Iraola is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
The football is quicker, more aggressive and, most importantly, far more exciting. After a frustrating period in which Liverpool’s attacking talent often failed to produce the kind of football supporters expected, Iraola appears to have breathed fresh life into the team.
And what excites me most is that the manager is not simply getting the best out of Liverpool’s established stars. He is also creating an environment in which the club’s emerging youngsters can thrive.
Lewis Koumas is playing with enormous confidence. Rio Ngumoha is beginning to look like a player ready to take another major step forward, while Trey Nyoni has already established himself as a hugely exciting presence in midfield.
But there is another young player I believe Liverpool supporters should be watching very closely.
His name is Keyrol Figueroa.
And judging by what he has been doing recently, I would not be surprised if Liverpool’s new manager soon has a very difficult decision to make.
Liverpool may have another goal machine on their hands
Liverpool already possess frightening attacking options.
Alexander Isak is finally finding his rhythm and scoring goals, while the likes of Ngumoha, Victor Munoz, Cody Gakpo and Bradley Barcola have all made important contributions.
Then there is Hugo Ekitike, whose eventual return from injury could make Iraola’s attacking options even more dangerous.
But underneath all of that, Liverpool have another player quietly building a very strong case for his future.
Figueroa agreed a new contract with Liverpool this summer before heading out on loan to Port Vale. At the time, the move offered him an opportunity to gain valuable senior experience.
What has happened since, however, is particularly interesting.
The Honduras international has started turning limited minutes into goals.
And lots of them.
Last season, Figueroa started just 10 matches for Liverpool’s U21 side. Despite often being introduced from the bench, he still managed to score 12 goals.
That statistic alone tells me something about his natural instincts in front of goal.
He does not necessarily need 90 minutes to make an impact.
Give him an opportunity, and he appears to know what to do with it.
His latest form is impossible to ignore
Figueroa has continued that habit since joining Port Vale.
He has played around 227 minutes for the club, starting one game and coming off the bench five times. Yet he has already found the net three times, scoring against Gillingham, Manchester City’s U21 side and Rochdale.
That is an impressive return considering the relatively small amount of football he has played.
But his international form makes the story even more interesting.
During the September and October international break, Figueroa scored his first goal for Honduras against Jamaica — and it was not just any goal.
It was the winning goal in a 1-0 victory.
Suddenly, the numbers begin to paint a very exciting picture.
Figueroa has scored four goals for club and country in around 354 minutes, meaning he has averaged a goal approximately every 81.5 minutes across his last eight matches.
For a young striker trying to force his way into the plans of a manager like Iraola, that is exactly the kind of form that can change everything.
Iraola could be the perfect manager for him
This is where I find the situation particularly exciting.
Iraola has already shown that he is willing to trust young players when they demonstrate that they are ready.
Koumas, Ngumoha and Nyoni are examples of youngsters making significant progress under his management, while Liverpool have plenty more talent waiting behind them.
Figueroa now appears to be putting himself into that conversation.
I do not think Liverpool necessarily need to rush him. His loan spell at Port Vale can provide valuable experience, and continuing to score goals in senior football will only strengthen his case.
But if he maintains this kind of form, it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine Liverpool ignoring him for too long.
The club have already secured his future with a new contract. Now he is doing everything possible to make sure that his next major step is through the doors of the Liverpool first team.
And that is where this story could become very interesting.
Liverpool have assembled an attacking group packed with quality, pace and potential. Iraola seems determined to make the most of it.
But Figueroa could give him something different — a young forward who simply seems to have a natural relationship with the back of the net.
For me, that is what makes this so exciting.
Liverpool supporters have already seen what Iraola can do with emerging talent.
Now imagine what happens when he gets his hands on a goal-scoring machine who is already proving he can find the net at an astonishing rate.
Figueroa still has work to do before he becomes a regular at Anfield.
But if he keeps scoring like this, I would not bet against him getting his chance sooner rather than later.
