He made his senior debut for the "Reds" under the stewardship of Rafael Benítez on 10 August 2004, coming on as a late substitute for Steve Finnan in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Austrian side Grazer AK, playing the last five minutes. He started in the return fixture at Anfield 14 days later, in what ended as a 1–0 defeat though Liverpool advanced with a 2–1 aggregate victory. He made his Premier League debut on 1 February, in a 2–1 win at Charlton Athletic. He also featured in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, coming on as a substitute in the round of 16 home tie against Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool went on to beat Milan in the final, though only the matchday squad received winner's medals. In total, he made 10 appearances in the 2004–05 season.