Jayden Danns was the two-goal hero for Liverpool against Southampton (Picture: Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp has urged media and fans to avoid putting too much pressure on Liverpool’s new young stars, comparing them to teenage darts sensation Luke Littler.
Lewis Koumas opened the scoring at Anfield on Wednesday night, with Jayden Danns scoring the next two goals in a 3-0 win over Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
It has been an amazing few days for Liverpool’s young talents, with a string of them coming off the bench as they won the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and now two teenagers scored the goals to book a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Manchester United.
Jarell Quansah, James McConnell, Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark also started the match against the Saints and there is a lot of excitement about the Reds’ new batch of youngsters.
However, Klopp has urged caution, saying like the recent teenage World Darts Championship finalist, players must be allowed to grow, improve and mature without too much pressure.
‘I understand it 100 per cent but it is a little bit like the new darts sensation (Littler), it is fine for tonight,’ said Klopp. ‘But from tomorrow, leave the boys in the corner, please. And don’t ask: “Where are they now? Where are they now? Where are they now?”
‘They have a lot to improve and a lot to learn. And everyone who is with us, we should have our moments, they will have more moments than they ever would have expected, probably, so that is one thing.
Luke Littler became a household name at the 2024 World Darts Championship (Picture: Getty Images)
‘They are exceptional talents but of course it is not natural that a boy, 18, is calm as you like [for Danns’s first goal] and just chipped the ball there. The second goal I would have expected him to be there because he saw when Conor Bradley shot that the goalie cannot take it. He really arrives in these moments and he was hoping the keeper couldn’t hold it.
‘We’ve said it a few times that the future does not look too bad but maybe the people don’t forget it when the transfer window opens. We have a couple of pretty promising players already, so don’t close the door for them with 12 signings.
‘Joe Gomez saved our lives 20 times tonight and the kids kept us in the competition. So we can talk about the boys but but the real story today is Joe Gomez. The game he played today I have never seen before, with chaos around him, as a No.6, I couldn’t respect it more.’
Klopp is delighted with the impact Danns has made during an injury crisis (Picture: Getty Images)
16-year-old Trey Nyoni also came off the bench on Wednesday night, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in the FA Cup for Liverpool and Klopp thinks he has a bright future.
‘We should not forget that Trey came on as well. What a player he is! Oh my God!’ Klopp said on ITV.
He added: ‘‘With Trey you can see there is absolutely no body, I don’t know what his weight is, but he’s very mature on the ball. It is special and for me strange as well.
‘I never had that, that you play with so many kids. It is a really interesting experience.’
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