Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained that Ben Woodburn temporarily returned to play for the Liverpool Under-23 side against Everton on Sunday to get more minutes on the pitch.
Woodburn joined Championship outfit Sheffield United on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2018, but has returned twice to his parent club already to feature for the Under-23 side.
Woodburn has found it hard to break into the Sheffield United side on a consistent basis as the Blades are doing well in the Championship and it has stopped Chris Wilder from making too many changes to his first team.
Klopp has revealed that Woodburn was well aware of the challenges when he joined Sheffield United and insists that as long as the Welshman remains fit, everything will be fine.
“It’s not about being happy in the situation, it’s about being realistic”, Klopp told Liverpool’s official website.
“Sheffield United are obviously playing a brilliant season and it’s always difficult to come in.
“A Championship team is quality and if you are high up in the table it’s even more quality.
“Ben is still an unbelievably young boy.
“He had the opportunity to come back and play the game here – and obviously play it really well.
“We will never lose him or think: ‘He is not doing well enough in Sheffield.’
“It’s normal. He wanted it – he wanted to come into a situation where he had to prove himself somewhere else.
“So far, it didn’t work out brilliantly but being in a situation like this and having some problems after eight or nine years with absolutely no problem in his development – because he was a standout player in our youth department – is very important.
“As long as he stays healthy, everything will be fine.”
Woodburn has managed to make seven appearances for Sheffield United so far in the Championship, but has started in just one of those games for the Blades.
