How Liverpool's young guns fared vs MK Dons: Harvey Elliot, Rhian Brewster, Curtis Jones and Ki-Jana Hoever

1/16
David Lynch25 September 2019

Although he would only ever have admitted it to a close confidant, it is easy to imagine that Jurgen Klopp might not have been too disappointed had Liverpool lost this one.

With the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup having been added to the Reds’ schedule this season, the League Cup arguably sits in seventh place on their list of priorities.

And that was reflected in a team selection featuring three debutants, four teenagers, and a sprinkling of senior players who, by and large, have seen little first-team action this term.

It was the sort of line-up that usually leads to a disjointed performance and, occasionally, a shock exit for a big gun at the hands of lower league opposition.

But that never really looked like happening here and - even deep down - Klopp won’t have minded one bit.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

That is because the German could not have helped but be delighted by what he witnessed as an unfamiliar team claimed victory at Stadium MK.

Liverpool’s place in the next round owes much to the enthusiasm with which their lesser-seen first-team squad members grabbed the chance to put forward a case for more regular football.

The likes of Naby Keita, Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are a far cry from the back-ups Klopp would have had to call on in this sort of game early in his reign, and each did enough to show that they can play a key role this season.

What’s more, those senior stars were assisted by standout showings from a collection of youngsters who can be considered the club’s most talented since Steven Gerrard followed Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher into the first team at Anfield.

Rhian Brewster and Curtis Jones moved and worked like players who have played under Klopp for years, their status as regulars at Melwood shining through.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

And Ki-Jana Hoever, practically a veteran having debuted in this competition last season, grabbed his first goal for the club with a powerful back-post header after an ambitious run from right-back.

But it was Harvey Elliott, now the Reds’ second-youngest ever player at the age of 16 years and 174 days, who stole the show in Buckinghamshire.

The summer signing from Fulham should have done better in hitting the bar from close range in the first 15 minutes, but did not let his head drop - far from it.

That missed opportunity simply kickstarted a performance showcasing a vision, touch and individual brilliance that belied the youngster’s tender years.

And, while it was unfortunately punctuated with another strike of the woodwork late on, the rapturous applause that followed from the 6,600-strong away end that followed said it all.

They had witnessed a special showing from a special talent, one that even Klopp will be looking forward to seeing again when the next round arrives.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in