Tyler Morton will run out at Goodison Park as a home player on Tuesday night despite his Liverpool allegiances.
The Reds midfielder, who is currently on loan at Championship side Hull City, made his England Under-21s debut as a substitute in the 3-0 away victory over Serbia on Saturday night. And he’ll now be looking to feature a lot closer to home as the young Lions host Northern Ireland at Goodison in their latest 2025 European Championships qualifier.
Unsurprisingly, the Wirral-born midfielder has been inundated with ticket requests from friends and family. And he’s looking forward to playing at the home of his parent club’s bitter local-rivals.
Yet Morton could have easily ended up being an Everton player himself.
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“Too many now! I think I’ll have to start cutting people off, they’re all passing them on,” he joked about ticket requests when talking to reporters ahead of Tuesday night’s game. “I’ve had a good few, like. It’s a really proud moment, not only for me but for my family at home. I’m loving every minute.
“I played for Everton when I was younger, when I was a kid. I really enjoyed my time to be honest, even though I’m a Red.
“So yeah, I played for Everton when I was younger. I think I was four or five until about seven. It was very young but I still weirdly remember it.
“It kind of got to that decision when you’re seven years of age and you pick a team. I picked Liverpool. Yeah (my family are), all Reds. I don’t think I had a choice to be honest!
“I’m looking forward to it (playing at Goodison). I’m not a bitter person you see, like a lot of them. I’m excited, really excited.
“Finch Farm is a good training facility and brings back memories as well from when I was younger. It’s lovely and I get to see people that I know because I know a few of the Everton lads. It’s brilliant for me.”
While Morton chose Liverpool rather than Everton, his England Under-21s manager, Lee Carsley, is a former Blue himself. And the 21-year-old is really enjoying learning from the former Premier League midfielder and can already feel their time working together improving his overall game.
“It’s unexplainable really (being called up). It’s a brilliant feeling, playing for your country,” he said. “Even just training. Representing your country is fantastic.
"It’s brilliant, I love it. I love coming to these camps. They test me in a different way. I’ve really enjoyed every single minute and I’ll continue to enjoy it. When you get the text or the call, there’s no better feeling really.
“I know quite a few of the lads already from playing against them. They’re all brilliant lads. Nice to see Harvey and Jarell because I don’t get to see them that much.
“I saw Curtis as well. Curtis came along because he was at the hotel yesterday so he came and said hello to all of us. It’s lovely to see everyone, everyone is connected.
“It’s really nice, especially with Lee Carsley being a midfielder. It’s brilliant, it helps me a lot and makes me feel more confident when I’m playing. It’s lovely to learn off new managers and new systems. It’s brilliant and it’s really good for my development, so I’m really enjoying it.
“Every manager is different in every way. I learn a lot about positioning, just wanting to get on the ball and showing your talent. I get a bit more freedom when I play under Lee Carsley.
“It’s a lot easier for me, I get a lot more freedom. I like to drift a bit wider and get on the ball. It’s brilliant and I need it for my development. It’s different at Hull where I have to stay central and stay in a certain spot, so it’s brilliant for my development.”
“We’ve spoken quite a bit and that’s what I need really. I need to be pushed and I’ve definitely been pushed being at this camp. I feel that I have got a lot more to my game than I show.
“Maybe I’m a bit too safe sometimes. I know I’ve got a drive in me or a longer pass. That’s what he’s set me. I need to start driving with the ball more. That’s what I’ve always believed I was good at when I was younger.
“I kind of adapted my game to how I played last season. I know that I need to start expanding my game a little more. I adapt pretty quickly to systems.
“I adapted to Blackburn’s system last season where I was kind of a single pivot. Kind of pass and move, get the ball and get the team ticking.
“Every team is different. I have got a bit more freedom to drive with it, to connect and play with my other midfielders. Get the ball off the 10s and play forward. That’s what I need. I want to be an all-round midfielder and that’s where I’m heading with the help of all these coaches.”
Morton has been called up by England Under-21s before, having been promoted from the standby list last season. However, on that occasion he was unable to make his debut.
Fast forward a season, and he feels better prepared to make an impact at such a level. And while it is not as intense as playing in the Championship, he believes it is just as important a challenge.
“I feel more ready mentally,” he said. “I always believe in my ability but mentally, when you have a season in the Championship, it’s challenging and challenges you in so many different ways.
“It challenged me in a good way and it made me mature. It made me a bit more mature in the way I play and the way I keep the ball. It was fantastic.
“Coming here, I came last season to the Under-21s. I really enjoyed it, every minute, I didn’t get to play but I loved it, honestly.
“It made me more confident in the way I play and I took that confidence into the second half of the season. Hopefully this will do the same for me again this season.
“The quality, in my opinion, is much higher. I wouldn’t say it’s as intense as the Championship but I’d say the quality is definitely much higher.
“It’s the finer details. Just movements, something you see in the top, top players when you train with them. Just movements, talking, communication. The centre-backs behind me, I hear a lot more communication. It’s just the final details that win you football matches really.
“I believe to be an England Under-21s footballer you’ve got to be, not perfect but near to perfect in your details. You get found out really if you don’t.
“I learned that pretty quickly when I first came here. You get the help of the coaches, the coaching staff are fantastic, everyone in and around it is fantastic. It’s set up brilliantly.”
While Morton is now enjoying his second season out on loan, having made nine appearances for Liverpool during the 2021/22 season, his parent club still stay in touch. He’s been in regular contact with the backroom staff during his time away, and has heard from his manager, Jurgen Klopp, since being handed his Under-21s debut.
"He’s fantastic. He’s a brilliant manager, isn’t he?” he said of Klopp. “He’s an even better person and helps me a lot off the pitch as well. He speaks to me a lot and helps.
“Everyone is happy for me. They’re all your mates, your team-mates, your family. Everyone is buzzing for me.
“You always feel part of the club. That’s what I needed, especially going out on loan twice. That’s why I went out on loan again, because I feel it’s where I feel most. And I develop knowing I’m a Liverpool football player.
“I think they do it differently, I think it’s kind of who you work with well. So mine’s Jordan Fairlclough. He’s one of the sports scientists. I just bounce off him.
“They kind of let you go with whoever you you mix with. I think that’s the best way to do it, really. He’s my friend as well so it’s just genuine chat. So he’s constantly keeping up with me. He can come to the game if he wants. I always call him and he’s genuine.”
As a boyhood Liverpool fan, Morton has inevitably been keeping track of his parent club this season, and has been impressed by their summer signings in midfield. And while currently enjoying his time on loan with Hull and away with England, he still has one eye on breaking back into the Reds first team.
“They’re fantastic footballers, aren’t they?” he said of Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and the rest of Liverpool’s midfield. “You can see that their game is evolving because of how young they are and how experienced they are.
“It pushes me even harder and makes me want it that little bit more. I’m really happy, I’m happy that Liverpool have got that team because I’m a Liverpool supporter as well. They’re a fantastic team and I’m excited to get back there.
“Yeah, I hope so,” he replied when asked if playing for England Under-21s could help him break into the Liverpool first team one day.
“That’s the long run. I’m kind of a realistic type of person and I think about the now (at Hull). But that would be lovely and is where I want to be.”
