Then with a double pack
©IMAGO
Coach Jürgen Klopp can continue to hope for the next of four possible titles in his final season with Liverpool FC. Three days after winning the League Cup, the Premier League leaders reached the quarter-finals of the prestigious FA Cup. The Reds won 3-0 (1-0) against second division club Southampton FC in the round of 16 at Anfield Road on Wednesday evening.
As in the League Cup, Klopp, whose team has been complaining about bad luck with injuries for weeks, sent a young team onto the field. With Jarell Quansah (21) and Conor Bradley (20) in defense, James McConnell (19) and Bobby Clark (19) in midfield and Lewis Koumas (18) and Harvey Elliott (20) in attack, there were six players up to the age of 21 in the starting line-up. Jayden Danns (18), Kaide Gordon (19) and Trey Nyoni, who became the third youngest player in Liverpool history at 16 years and seven months, came off the bench.
Seven different trophies: all of Jürgen Klopp’s titles with Liverpool
And so it was storm talent Koumas who scored on his professional debut in the 44th minute to give the hosts the lead. The other goals were also scored by a Liverpool talent: Danns, who came on for Koumas in the 63rd minute (73rd/88th minute), made the final score with a brace. These were also his first goals with the professionals. “It’s a dream come true,” Danns said on “ITV Sport” after the game. “It doesn’t feel real to me. It feels like I’m in a movie. I don’t think I can sleep tonight.”
Klopp was enthusiastic about the performance of his young protégés. “At the moment I can’t imagine what this week must feel like for the boys. For me it feels pretty good, but I also know all the problems we have around us,” said the Liverpool manager. “It’s really difficult because unfortunately we have too many games for too few players. But so far we’ve somehow found a solution and we have to keep doing it.” It’s “the week of the academy and I’m so happy to mention it again because it’s just extraordinary.”
But Klopp also warned not to put too many stars in front of the new generation. “We’ve said a few times that the future doesn’t look so bad. When the transfer window opens, it’s important to remember that there are already some promising players here. “Don’t close the door on them with twelve commitments or something like that,” the 56-year-old made clear and gave special praise to Joe Gomez (26), who played in defensive midfield for the first time. “For the first time in this position (…) with the chaos around him because nothing was regulated, I couldn’t respect him more.”
Liverpool face Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals
Chelsea FC, who lost out to Liverpool in the League Cup, beat Leeds United from the Championship 3-2 (2-1) at home. But the favorite had to tremble, Conor Gallagher only scored the winning goal in the 90th minute.
Manchester United won 1-0 (0-0) at league rivals Nottingham Forest thanks to a late goal from Casemiro (89th) and are in the next round, as are Wolverhampton Wanderers, who also won 1-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion ( 1:0) won.
In the quarter-finals (March 16th/17th) Liverpool have to play against Manchester United. Wolverhampton plays against Coventry City, Chelsea awaits Leicester City. Manchester City also has home advantage against Newcastle United.
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