If there's one week that makes Liverpool Football Academy coaches proud, it's that everyone knows it's this week. Five players from the Liverpool Academy Academy were not only involved in the Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, but they were the protagonists of the game, and now everyone at Kirkby Base can toast their boys' performance in the FA Cup.
Lewis Coomas' maiden goal and Jaden Dance's second-half brace secured a 3-0 win over Southampton and set the stage for a thrilling showdown with Manchester United in the last eight. James McConnell, Bobby Clarke and Dans are still fresh in their minds at the National Stadium for Liverpool, as are Jarrell Kuansa, Connor Bradley and Quinn Kelleher at the back, but they can now also add Coomas to this week's list of dreams come true.
It will be a night to remember when the 18-year-old finds himself one of the beneficiaries of Jurgen Klopp's side's current injury crisis. But he didn't rest on his laurels and made his debut in senior football, giving first-half the lead to his experienced team-mates before substitute Dans sealed the win with two incisive shots, all of which were inconsistent with his young age. That's where Jurgen Klopp is at the moment, winning in the face of adversity and swaggering. The Liverpool boss is now left with only a handful of experienced veterans and fitness briefings on an almost daily basis, but in the past few days, the injury-plagued squad have survived thanks to the talent and quality of their youngsters. Regardless of what happens for the rest of the season, the efforts of players such as Dans, Coomas, McConnell, Clarke and Bradley will not be forgotten by the fans currently on the sidelines, and neither should they.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and a long list of absentees have all the youngsters who replaced them during their absence. Their efforts have earned them a Carabao Cup winner's medal and now they have the chance to travel to Wembley again on 17 March to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Understandably, Liverpool lacked cohesion and fluidity in the early stages of the game, with the new front trio of Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo and Coomas struggling to pose a threat behind the visitors' defence. But in the final minutes of the first half, Kumas opened the scoring for the Reds after receiving the ball on the edge of the box and cutting inside.
Not content with a winner's medal on Sunday, Danse made his second appearance for the first team when he caught Elliott's pass and the ball slickly slipped past Joe Rumlee to make it 2-0. Dans' second goal also proved his predatory instincts, as he reacted quickly after Lamblee saved Bradley's shot and quickly pushed the ball into the net in front of goal to complete the stunner.
When Liverpool finished the game with a lineup of Bradley, Kuansa, Nyoni, Danse, Clarke and Cade Gordon, who replaced Gakpo, the KOPs shouted:"We only let the kids play! We haven't won a trophy since Sunday afternoon! "。The game came to an end with the new grandstand anthem, where the youngsters had a lot of fun. If necessary, the experience of the past few days has also proved the decision to be made with a heavy heart: to leave the iconic Melwood and head to the £50 million AXA Training Centre.
The relocation in 2020 opened the way to the first team for many, both figuratively and literally. It also makes it possible to play games like this Sunday. Jurgen Klopp may need more senior players to return to the Premier League sooner rather than later, but the Academy has been on display in the spotlight in the last few days.
Klopp said at the end of the game:"It's a week in the Academy and I'm happy to say that. These days have been extraordinary. This is a club at the top of its game. "