The now 18-year-old, who had found the net against Bournemouth in his senior bow earlier that week in the Carabao Cup, was rewarded with a substitute appearance when Pep Guardiola’s men welcomed the Foxes to the Etihad Stadium at the end of September.
It may not have been the desired outcome in terms of the result for City, but that did not dampen the occasion for Delap.
He reflected: “That moment for me was probably one of the best moments of my life.
“As a little boy all I dreamed of was playing football for a men’s team… that first step of making your debut in the Premier League is brilliant.”
While Delap unquestionably earned his chance through hard work and impressive performances for our EDS side, being thrown in at the deep end is a daunting prospect for any debutant.
Nonetheless, the young forward explained that the support of his teammates helped him to quickly forget about any lingering nerves.
“They’ve all been in the situation I’ve been in before and were there to offer their support, encourage me throughout and not put any pressure on me,” Delap recalled.
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“I was just thinking, go out there, I’ve got no pressure, just work hard and do my best”.
And while he will always look back on his debut with fondness, the centre-forward revealed that the match ball will serve as a constant visible reminder of where he hopes his career will take him.
He said: “I’ll put it on the shelf... to remind me every time I see it. That’s the aim and the dream for me, to play as many games in the Premier League as possible.
Hear Liam Delap’s full recollections of his Premier League debut, as well as his thoughts on training with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus, by watching the video above.
