Young Liverpool fullback Stephen Darby was delighted with his chance in preseason.
"I was on holiday in America with my girlfriend and I got a phone call saying I'd be with the first team in pre-season. My stomach sank because I was nervous and excited. I couldn't wait to get back," Darby told liverpoolfc.tv.
"You learn so much, especially on the tactical side of your game. For me as a defender, working with people like Jamie and Sami Hyypia is unbelievable.
"It was great to hear what Jamie was saying about me, but you have to keep your feet on the ground. My family, friends and the people here help to do that.
"There's still a lot to improve on - you can always improve your game. At the moment I think I need to work on my strength.
"At the end of the day, I would swap 100 pre-season games for one in a competitive match with the first team. That's what I dream about."