Neil Critchley is pleased with the addition of striker Joe Hardy at Liverpool, following his arrival from Brentford earlier this month.

Hardy scored twice on Monday evening, as the Reds’ Under-23s thrashed Southampton 5-0 in Kirkby.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, U23s boss Critchley outlined why the 21-year-old signed and what he can bring to the team:

Joe has shown what he is about. He is a goalscorer, he can finish, and he has shown that in training. He will be a useful asset for us this season as maybe in some of the games this season where we have dominated, we have not scored the goals our play has warranted. We know if we give the ball to Joe near to goal, there’s a good chance of him scoring. It was great for him to get off the mark. He was gutted to go off (Hardy was replaced midway through the second half) as he wanted his hat-trick, but we have plenty of games to come and he is going to be valuable for us.

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I think the signing of Hardy was a necessity, especially with Rhian Brewster moving to Swansea City on loan.

Meanwhile, Paul Glatzel is out with a cruciate ligament injury, further highlighting Critchley’s injury woes in attack.

Hardy will be a superb addition, in my opinion, already showing his goalscoring instincts on Monday.

He scored 40 goals in 80 appearances for Brentford’s B team – a ratio he has the ability to replicate at Liverpool.

Only time will tell whether or not he has the quality to make the grade in Jurgen Klopp’s first team, but I think early evidence suggests he could have a bright future.

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