Japhet Tanganga assured Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho he would not be scared facing Liverpool when he made his Premier League debut on Saturday.
The 20-year-old defender was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI as the London side hosted the league leaders and European champions.
Spurs went down 1-0 to Jurgen Klopp's team, but Tanganga impressed and earned praise from his manager .
And the Spurs academy star revealed Mourinho asked him days earlier if he was ready to line up against the Reds.
“The gaffer mentioned something on Tuesday," Tanganga said after the game. "He asked me if I want to play, I said: ‘Yeah’, he said: ‘You wont be scared?’, I said: ‘No, I wont be scared’.
“Then we did a bit of shape two or three days before the game and I thought: ‘Yeah I’m in the team’.
“The boys have been excellent, cheering me on, encouraging me and letting me know it is just another game.
“As much as it is my debut, as much as I am playing against probably the best team in the league right now, it doesn’t matter.
“They were just great, I am grateful for the manager having trust in me.”
Although the centre-back was happy to make his first appearance in the English top-flight, he feels his side should have left the field with at least a point.
“I was happy to make my debut but I really thought we could have nicked something at the end of the game. Maybe a draw, maybe a win," he added.
“It means a lot. It means a lot, from young you dream about it, you see guys on TV and you think, ‘I want that’.
“It would have been much better if we had won the game, but I am happy to make my debut.
“I have made my debut now, but it has gone now. I will celebrate with my family and then it is on to the next one.”
Spurs, who are now nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, are in action again on Tuesday when they host Middlesbrough in the FA Cup before returning to league duty with a trip to Watford next Saturday.