James Carragher ready to put injury nightmare behind him after making Latics league debut

Shaun Maloney’s men claimed their first points of the new campaign at the Brick Community Stadium, following mixed performances against Charlton and Reading, as well as the Carabao Cup defeat to Barnsley.

Carragher was named for his first league start in the recent encounter, and admits he’s looking forward to a big season after a series of injuries that has hampered his short career to date.

“I was buzzing, I think it’s been a long time waiting,” the 21-year-old said, son of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.

“I’ve had a bit of a tough spell off the pitch in the last couple of years with injuries and stuff. This pre-season has been the first time for a long time I’ve felt 100% fit and I think that showed in pre-season, I think I’ve done quite well in training and in games.

“The manager can obviously trust me there, I’ve played a bit of centre-half, but if he can trust me playing right-back, it gives me more opportunities to play in the team.

“My dad and grandad are always watching, they’ve been watching me since I was a kid, so it was a good day for them as well.”

First-team manager Shaun Maloney pinpointed the young defender as the major winner of pre-season, which has seen him rewarded with minutes on the field in the early stages of the new campaign, including a start in the EFL Cup earlier this month, before earning his first league appearance in the recent 1-0 result.

And Carragher admits it has given him a confidence boost for the 2024/25 campaign, with title-favourites Birmingham City up next for Latics.

He added: “A manager, and a player like he was playing at the top level, to give me that praise and stuff, I think it’s credit to how I’ve done in the pre-season.

“Being fully fit as I am now, which I haven’t been in the last few years, I think that’s obviously helped me a lot, in training and in playing.”