Anfield Watch
·1 December 2023
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·1 December 2023
Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on centre back Jarell Quansah after Liverpool secured qualification to the Europa League knockouts on Thursday night.
The Reds saw off LASK 4-0 at Anfield, with 20-year-old Quansah impressing as he played the full 90 minutes.
The young defender completed more passes than anyone else on the pitch (60) and was key in ensuring his side kept a clean sheet against their Austrian opponents.
After the game, Klopp hailed the display of Quansah, who has now featured in four out of five of the Reds' Europa League clashes.
"For us it was absolutely perfect. Jarell played a super game," Klopp said, before highlighting how the former Bristol Rovers loanee's potential stopped Liverpool from dipping into the transfer market this summer..
"There couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. Before this season, people told us we should buy a centre-half. We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he would show up like this? Not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful. So the future’s bright. He is our own boy, calm on the ball, good in the challenges, quick, ruthless in the right moments.
"Besides Caoimh he had the most spectacular defensive situations when he saved our backside in some moments, so that’s really top news for us."
Young Quansah was not the only academy graduate on display on Thursday night with right back, with full backs Conor Bradley and Luke Chambers also making cameos, while Kaide Gordon was named on the bench.
On the emerging talent at the club, Klopp said: "I am so, so, so happy for the boys. We have super talents. We saw it again tonight.
"After that long time (out) it would have been perfect (for Bradley) if he had a few minutes with the U21s (at Burnley on Tuesday), but we work in a high performance industry and that means Tuesday or Thursday makes a difference. Tuesday was not right but Thursday a few minutes was okay and we tried to get that.
Conor Bradley, Liverpool vs LASK - Propaganda
"Luke Chambers came back after a long injury. He needed time to get rhythm and he’s getting better and better. Top talent as well.
"Kaide Gordon is back after a long, long injury spell, incredibly long, and looks super in training. If we can do things like this then we will do things like this, giving the boys not only with words but actions opportunities to make the next step.
"It’s a pure joy to see him back in training, he had a top pre-season with us (in 2021) but then he was out for a long, long time. It’s good to have him back.”
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