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At the turn of the year Joe Allen looked destined for the Anfield exit door.

The Welsh midfielder’s prospects were bleak. Allen had found his opportunities severely limited since Jurgen Klopp’s appointment.

While Liverpool dished out new contracts to the likes of Simon Mignolet and Connor Randall, there was no dialogue with Allen’s representatives over a contract extension.

Letting him leave in January was never on the cards with the Reds still competing on four fronts and Klopp battling with a significant injury crisis. An enquiry from his former club Swansea City was instantly rebuffed.

But a parting of the ways in the summer - when Allen will be down to the final 12 months of his current contract - appeared increasingly inevitable.

However, the landscape has shifted over the past month. Rather than meekly accept his fate, Allen has rolled his sleeves up and staked a claim to be part of Liverpool’s future under Klopp.

After a highly accomplished display at Stoke in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final he was unfortunate not to keep his place for the visit of Arsenal in the league.

Handed a late cameo against the Gunners, he responded by ending his nine-month wait for a Premier League goal with an expertly taken last-gasp equaliser.

There was another significant contribution in the FA Cup replay against Exeter as he slotted home Brad Smith’s cross to ease the nerves of a youthful side.

(Image: 2016 Getty Images)

Again he was relegated to bench duty for last weekend’s trip to Norwich and the midweek second leg with Stoke. On both occasions he was missed with Liverpool’s midfield failing to function effectively with nobody able to provide any kind of control.

Allen made a difference after replacing Kolo Toure late on in normal time and then came the biggest moment of his Liverpool career when he coolly dispatched the winning spot-kick in sudden death to book the Reds’ passage to Wembley.

There couldn’t have been a more deserving hero. The 25-year-old is far removed from the modern perception of millionaire footballers. He’s a quiet, humble, family man who is a model professional.

As Allen accepted the acclaim of Anfield, it had been a long time coming.

From the day he followed Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool in a £15million deal in the summer of 2012 he’s been fighting a constant battle to live up to that hefty price tag and prove his doubters wrong.

A man of the match display on his home debut against Manchester City - when his pass completion rate was 93.5% - prompted Rodgers to say: “He’s 5ft 6ins but in terms of a footballer, he is 7ft 6ins. He is absolutely immense.”

It proved to be a false down. Rodgers labelling him the ‘Welsh Xavi’ during the infamous ‘Being: Liverpool’ documentary also did him no favours.

Playing in a more defensive role than he had been used to at Swansea, Allen struggled with a lack of confidence as the pressure and expectation levels of Anfield took their toll.

His first goals for the club - in the FA Cup at Oldham and in the Europa League tie with Zenit - both came in lost causes. His first season was cut short by shoulder surgery and injuries have hampered his progress ever since.

In 2013/14 he could have entered derby folklore by killing off Everton at Goodison. Instead he fluffed his line from eight yards out and it proved costly as it ended 3-3.

Even his first league goal for the Reds at Crystal Palace was overshadowed by the shambolic late capitulation which wrecked their title dream.

When Rodgers was sacked last October, Allen looked more vulnerable than any other member of the squad having been so closely aligned with the Northern Irishman.

Proving himself to Klopp hasn’t been straightforward. Yet his form in recent weeks has showed that he does possess the qualities the German looks for in a midfielder.

He’s dynamic, he shuts down space, he reads the game well and when he’s playing with belief he has a passing range to do some damage. He has also belatedly shown Kopites that he can finish.

Whether Allen earns himself a new contract or a move elsewhere over the coming months only time will tell.

But what’s clear is that Liverpool’s midweek hero, who is desperate to secure regular game time ahead of the Euros, deserves a run in the side. At a time when others are flagging, Allen has stepped up and delivered.

Time is ticking on former Liverpool prodigy

It was three-and-a-half years ago when Adam Morgan’s beaming smile lit up Toronto’s Rogers Centre.

The young Liverpool striker from Halewood had just scored the opening goal of Brendan Rodgers’ reign during the pre-season tour of North America in front of 33,000 fans to secure a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC.

“It’s been my dream my whole life to get a goal for the first team,” he told the ECHO.

“It’s difficult to put into words what that means to me. I’m only 18 and to be away with Liverpool – the club I’ve supported my whole life – is just amazing.”

The future looked so bright for the England under-19s international, whose prolific goal scoring exploits at Academy level had led to Robbie Fowler hailing him as “one of the best finishers I’ve seen for a long time”.

Morgan was handed his debut by Rodgers against Hearts in August 2012 and two further appearances soon followed also in the Europa League.

However, that was as good as it got the frontman, who was taken off against Anzhi in Moscow and never featured for the first team again. It’s been a tale of frustration for him ever since.

After loan spells at Rotherham and Yeovil he penned a two-and-a-half year permanent deal with the latter in January 2014. But once again regular first-team football eluded him as he made a total of just six league starts for Yeovil before heading to St Johnstone on loan in August 2014.

After just one start and four substitute outings, St Johnstone cut short his stay north of the border. Back at Yeovil and down the pecking order, last summer they agreed a severance package for the final 12 months of his contract.

Morgan signed for Accrington Stanley but played just 21 minutes of football in League Two before leaving the club this week by mutual consent.

“It’s a shame for Adam that it hasn’t worked out for him here. He is a good character around the place but he wants to play football,” said manager John Coleman.

For Morgan, that balmy night in Toronto must feel like a lifetime ago. At the age of 21, there’s still time for him to kick-start his flagging career but the clock is ticking.

Dudek back in Liverpool for special night

Istanbul hero Jerzy Dudek is returning to Liverpool for a special night with supporters next week.

The Polish shot-stopper will be the guest of honour at the city’s Shankly Hotel on Friday, February 5.

Dudek made 186 appearances during his six-year spell at Anfield but it was his performance in the 2005 Champions League against AC Milan which earned him legendary status.

There was the stunning double save from Andriy Shevchenko in extra time before he starred in the penalty shootout to secure the Reds’ fifth European Cup in the most dramatic of circumstances.

Tickets are on sale priced £45. That includes a meet and greet with Dudek, the opportunity for photos and autographs and a hot buffet. Dudek will talk about that unforgettable night in Istanbul as well as the other highs and lows of his Liverpool career. There will also be a Q&A with fans.

The ‘Evening with Jerzy Dudek’ gets underway at 5.30pm next Friday. For tickets go to: https://5times.co.uk/dudek

Inglethorpe grateful for Klopp influence

Liverpool Academy director Alex Inglethorpe says Jurgen Klopp’s show of faith in the club’s youngsters has given everyone a boost at Kirkby.

Klopp has dished out six debuts since taking over at Anfield in October.

“The most important thing is that he has a desire to play the young players and believes in giving them their chance,” Inglethorpe said.

“What experience they need prior to him picking them is completely up to him.

“In a very short space of time we’ve been very lucky to have as many debuts and opportunities as we have done so we can only be grateful. It gives everyone at the Academy hope that there’s a pathway there and it’s a wonderful club to be at if you’re a young player.”

Debuts are one thing but Inglethorpe knows his task is to help develop talent capable of holding down a first-team spot.

“We need to judge ourselves on how many times somebody plays 50 games for the first team, 60 games, 100 games and 200 games, and what sort of legacy they’re going to leave behind,” he added.

“Not just playing one or two and then moving on. The challenge is there for everyone.”