How Liverpool youngster is following in Trent Alexander-Arnold's footsteps after Brighton victory
Liverpool youngster Jarell Quansah has been a sensation since breaking into the first-team this season and yesterday's start saw him achieve a brilliant feat.
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Hide AdYesterday's start against Brighton was his seventh of the season and he produced another strong display against a difficult frontline. Facing a lot of different tests across 90 minutes, he managed to make five recoveries, won 2/2 aerial duels, 4/6 duels, completed the most passes on the pitch as well as making the most interceptions (4) for Liverpool.
However, the most impressive part of his performance was the fact that he has been so good that we don't rarely acknowledge the performance - we just pretend that what he's doing is normal when, in reality, it isn't. The 21-year-old had made just 16 senior appearances in the EFL before this season and he has taken his chance and grabbed it with both hands so impressively.
In fact, yesterday's 90 minutes saw him earn more minutes in a single season than any other Liverpool academy player under Jurgen Klopp not named Trent Alexander-Arnold. Plus, he's very close to matching Ibrahima Konate's record for total minutes this season (2,164) needing just another 148 minutes. It is an extraordinary situation given that there were four senior centre-back ahead of him at the start of the season.
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Hide AdHowever, a long-term injury suffered by Joel Matip and injuries suffered by Liverpool's full-backs has meant that Joe Gomez has operated in multiple positions and Konate's experience with niggling issues have afforded Quansah unlikely opportunities.
On top of that he's managed one goal and three assists and he has fully immersed himself in this squad as a thriving academy graduate in a season that has seen a bus load of young talents earn opportunities under Klopp. While Conor Bradley has been a sensation at right-back, it is Quansah who has featured the most. Whichever manager succeeds Klopp will surely look to Quansah as a key defender, especially with Matip set to leave this summer and Liverpool should have a homegrown centre-back to champion for years to come.
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