Adam Lallana has been one of Liverpool's more impressive performers this season, and was rewarded with a new three-year contract a week or so ago.
It probably has nothing to do with the fact that he's the manager's next-door neighbour. Probably.
The 28-year-old England international was speaking with the Liverpool Echo today on the back of his new deal, and ahead of Liverpool's trip to Arsenal at the weekend, was up front about his side's struggles against what he described as the 'so-called' smaller clubs, implying that it may be a mental issue holding Liverpool back versus the likes of Leicester relative to their top four rivals.
One of the more interesting parts of his conversation with the Echo, however, was his choice for Liverpool's 'most underrated player'.
Where the likes of Emre Can might have ruled themselves out of the reckoning with a torrid display on Monday night, Lallana turned to Liverpool's youth ranks. The obvious answer would perhaps have been Ben Woodburn, who at 17 has figured quite regularly in Jurgen Klopp's first-team squad. Instead, Lallana went for a lesser-featured prospect. He told the Echo:
I see great potential for Harry Wilson.
He is captain of the u23s, he has been training with us permanently for three or four weeks. He has got a great left foot.
Everyone is speaking about Ben Woodburn, Trent, Ovie, but Harry keeps his head down, works hard and I think he has a great future ahead of him.
The 19-year-old Welsh wing wizard made his first-team debut in Liverpool's FA Cup replay defeat to Plymouth having joined the club in 2005, aged eight.
Wilson has been in phenomenal form for the Liverpool under-23s this season, scoring 8 goals and registering nine assists. He made his debut for Wales at the age of just 16, coming on for Hal Robson-Kanu vs Belgium.
