West Ham: Mohamed Salah examination a 'great education' for Ollie Scarles, says Graham Potter | OneFootball

Hammers teenager endured difficult afternoon at Anfield but Potter believes it was an ‘important experience’

Graham Potter says coming up against Mohamed Salah was a “great education” for West Ham teenager Ollie Scarles, despite his difficult afternoon at Anfield.

The talented 19-year-old, who was substituted after 57 minutes, is not the first player to suffer at the hands of Salah and Potter has backed him to be better for the experience.

Potter said: “It was important that he had the experience. He is playing against the best player, in terms of goals and assists, arguably in the world at the moment.

Scarles is not the first player to suffer at the hands of Salah

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

“He won’t face that every day. He won’t face that in the academy. So great education for him and good that he stuck at it.”

Potter believes West Ham can take plenty of encouragement from their display against Liverpool despite the blow of conceding an 89th-minute Virgil van Dijk winner after they had equalised through a late Andrew Robertson own goal.

The Hammers made it an uncomfortable afternoon for Liverpool and Potter said: “It was a really strong performance; probably the best performance we’ve had.

“The balance between defence and attack was really good over the course of the game. I think we suffered at the start. It was an emotional atmosphere, and Liverpool came out with big intensity, moved the ball fast and it was difficult for us.

“At the same time, we stuck in there and were resilient, and that hasn’t always been the case. And we grew into the game, I thought, in the last part of the first half. We had some opportunities and hit the bar.

“We created some opportunities, and we pushed a good, top team back. Defensively, I thought we were quite solid. As solid as you can be with Liverpool. They’re so dangerous, and their transition is so fast, but we managed it quite well. In the second half, we created some really good opportunities.”