- Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final with a side that contained several inexperienced players due to a host of injuries to the senior players
- Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns all did exceptionally well to deny Mauricio Pochettino’s side triumph
- Liverpool are the first side since Arsenal in 2007 to feature three teenagers in a League Cup final
Who are the Liverpool youngsters that inspired Carabao Cup triumph? On Sunday, Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final played at Wembley with a side that contained several inexperienced players due to a host of injuries to the senior players.
The 21-year-old Jarell Quansah, 20-year-old Conor Bradley and teenagers Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns all did exceptionally well to deny Chelsea side worth over a billion pounds of transfer kitty investment the Carabao Cup. In this article, we get to know about the Jurgen Klopp’s kids who have been on the headlines since Liverpool’s triumph.
1. Conor Bradley, 20
Conor Bradley. Photo/ Anfield Central.
A relatively familiar name, Conor Bradley was a starter during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final clash against Chelsea. The 20-year-old Irish defender, who spent last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, has been making appearances in the absence of Trent Alexander Arnold.
Bradley made his Premier League debut in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory over Bournemouth on January 21. Ten days later, he scored his first senior goal as the Reds thrashed Chelsea 4-1 and was named man of the match. He has shown promise for his attacking and defensive qualities and we see him being included in the list of the best right backs in the world in the next few years to come.
2. Jarrell Quansah, 21
Jarell Quansah. Photo/ Reddit.
Next up is 21-year-old Jarrell Quansah who has stepped up to give vital defensive support for Liverpool in the absence of Joel Matip. And by that you already know he is a centre-back.
Quansah joined Liverpool at the age of eight and captained the under-18s before spending last season on loan at Bristol Rovers. His rise has been “crazy”, considering he has already established himself in the first-team squad. Prior to Sunday’s final, the Warrington-born defender told Liverpool’s website: “I’ve just been told that a year ago on [the day of] the final I’d just played against Oxford City away for Bristol Rovers in League One”.
3. James McConnell, 19
James McConnell. Photo/ Liverpool FC.
James McConnell was one of the Liverpool youngsters who impressed against Chelsea on Sunday. McConnell joined the Reds from Sunderland in 2019 and after debuting for the under-18s as an under-16 player, he went on to captain the under-21 side this season where he has shown great leadership.
Under Jurgen Klopp, McConnell made three appearances as a substitute against Brentford, Toulouse and Union SG before getting his first start in the FA Cup fourth round against Norwich City, which Liverpool won 5-2. He got an assist in the match.
McConnell joined Liverpool as an attacking midfielder but Klopp and Pep Lijnders taught him the holding role last pre-season following the departures of Fabinho and Henderson to Saudi Arabia.
4. Bobby Clark, 19
Bobby Clark. Photo/ This Is Anfield.
The son of former Premier League player Lee Clark, Bobby Clark is one of the Liverpool youngsters to watch out for. Clark joined Liverpool in 2021 as a 19-year-old from Newcastle United. He previously played under his father at Birmingham City.
In his first season with Liverpool’s under-18 side, Clark scored 13 goals playing across the forward line and in the midfield. He was handed his debut by Klopp in August 2022 during the 9-0 win over Bournemouth. Prior to Sunday’s Carabao Cup final he had featured against in Premier League matches against Chelsea, Luton and Burnley.
5. Jayden Danns, 18
Jayden Danns. Photo/ SPORTbible.
Jayden Danns came off the bench to help Liverpool win their tenth Carabao Cup on Sunday. Prior to that, he had made his first-team debut as a late substitute in the 4-1 victory over Luton Town last Wednesday.
Danns is Liverpool academy’s top scorer with 21 goals so far this season. The teenager has been on the books at Kirkby since the age of eight after he was spotted playing futsal. He is the son of former footballer, Neil Danns, who had a nomadic career playing for clubs such as Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
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