[WATCH] Boys to men: It’s the week of the Academy at Liverpool as Nottingham Forest lie in wait, says Klopp
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Flying high: Jayden Danns, right, with Cody Gakpo. Picture: REUTERS/Phil Noble
Jurgen Klopp says this is “the week of the Academy” as his teen stars blew away Southampton 3-0 in the FA Cup on Wednesday night.
With a vrag top stars out injured, Klopp relied on his homegrown players to help them beat Chelsea 1-0 in the League Cup final last weekend and then again drukked op their nommer in the FA Cup.
Teen Jayden Danns then struck twice and fellow 18-year-old Lewis Koumas got another, as Klopp declared: “I cannot imagine how this week must feel for the boys. It feels pretty good for me but I know about all the problems we have around as well.
“They don’t have to care about that, so they can just fly and they deserve that. It’s the week of the Academy and I’m so happy to mention them again, just because it’s exceptional…”
Bobby Clark and James McConnell, both 19, also started the match, with Danns, 16-year-old Trey Nyoni and Kaide Gordon, 19, coming off the bench.
Two seasons apart, the same celebration 💪
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 29, 2024
From ballboy to netting a brace at the Kop end ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oKwvCBb7A0
With Nottingham Forest lying in wait for the Premier League log leaders tomorrow at 5pm, they could have the likes of Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai returning from injury for the clash.
But if they are not yet ready, the youngsters are ready to take their chance again.
Danns says of scoring a double off the bench for the Reds: “It’s a dream come true.
Teenagers Danns and Koumas open their Reds accounts on a memorable night under the lights at Anfield 🙌
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 29, 2024
Inside #LIVSOU is out now! 🎥
“I’ve supported the club since I was young, since birth, so to come on and score at the Kop end – it’s unreal. It doesn’t feel real to me. It feels like I’m in a movie…”
In Klopp’s final season in charge of the team, Danns and the the rest of Liverpool will be hoping it’s a happy ending as they look to keep their one-point advantage over Manchester City at the top of the standings against a Forest team fighting relegation.
Weekend’s Prem fixtures
Saturday: Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, Brentford v Chelsea, Newcastle v Wolves, Fulham v Brighton, Everton v West Ham (all 5pm), Luton Town v Aston Villa (7.30pm).
Sunday: Burnley v Bournemouth (3pm), Manchester City v Manchester United (5.30pm).