Tiago Ilori has claimed that he did not feel inexperienced when he played alongside Lucas Leiva in the heart of Liverpool's defence in last night's FA Cup fourth-round replay against West Ham United.
The 22-year-old, who has made just three senior appearances for the Reds since his £7m arrival from Sporting Lisbon in 2013, was part of a new-look side that suffered a late 2-1 defeat at Upton Park.
"Age is just a number, players get experience by playing," Ilori told the club's official website. "I think everyone today worked hard, it didn't matter their age.
"I played alongside Lucas and he didn't look at me and think, 'he's not as experienced' and I didn't look at him and think, 'he's the most experienced player'. We all play together, we train together everyday and we're a team.
"I always thought there could be a future here, that's why I signed for Liverpool in the first place. I just try and work hard every day. There are a lot of good players at Liverpool for me to learn from, I just take it step by step."
Ilori was shipped out to Aston Villa last summer on loan, but was recalled by Liverpool in January.
Danielle Joynson
