Sinclair aims to build on dream outing
Jerome Sinclair spoke of his desire to be part of a 'bright future' at Liverpool after achieving the dream of making his Barclays Premier League debut against Chelsea.
The striker was introduced as a 68th-minute substitute during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, replacing Rickie Lambert as the Reds pushed for a winner in the capital.
Sinclair, who has been prolific for the Academy this season, showcasing sheer pace and instinct, became the club's youngest ever player when he took to the field against West Bromwich Albion in September 2012.
In the years since, however, no further appearances in the first-team squad materialised, until Rodgers restored him to the substitutes' bench for the tie against Chelsea before handing the 18-year-old his league debut.
"It's an absolute dream come true," Sinclair admitted to Liverpoolfc.com post-match. "As a young kid, you dream and think about that moment your whole life.
"So for me to make that Premier League debut, it was a really great moment.
"The manager told me to go out and work hard. So I just got out there and tried to make sure I put all my effort in, tried to be good and simple when I got on the ball and just tried to give a good impression of myself.
"We've got an array of young talent at Liverpool. So for me to get the chance to play today was really good. I know there's a lot more young players coming through and they're all going to be good enough to play for Liverpool, so the future is really bright.
"You can see that with the philosophy that the manager has - if young players are showing that they have talent, then he's willing to put them in and give him a go, which is rare for a big club such as Liverpool.
"All the young players at Liverpool know that we really do have a chance."
On the day Sinclair reached a major milestone in his fledgling Anfield career, Steven Gerrard made another telling contribution to the team as he played his third-final fixture in Liverpool red.
The captain now has just two games - against Crystal Palace and Stoke City - remaining before he departs the club for LA Galaxy, and Sinclair insists it's been a privilege to train with and learn from the iconic midfielder.
"When you get the chance to train with a player like Stevie, you can really see how good he is," said the youngster. "It took me back a little bit, training with him for the first time and seeing the ability he has got, first hand.
"For me to be able to train alongside him and pick up little tips is great for a young player.
"When you go to Melwood, you're training alongside some of the best players in the world. So for me to have the chance to go and train there, it's only going to improve my game. Hopefully I can get there more in the future."