A week ago Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns would have been readying themselves for an FA Youth Cup assignment against Leeds United tonight. They will skip that now, deserving of an evening off having conspired to write a new page in Liverpool’s history together. The kids march on.
There is another step still to take, and a sizable one at that, before this irrepressible band of youngsters can truly begin to dream of being back at Wembley but their appetite for adventure remains undimmed.
Fresh from Sunday’s remarkable Carabao Cup final success over Chelsea, they left their fingerprints all over the victory against Southampton to progress into the FA Cup quarter-finals and seal a trip to Manchester United.
The night belonged initially to Koumas, who scored on his debut, before making way for fellow teenager Danns, who sealed the win with a dinked finish à la Kenny Dalglish in the European Cup final in 1978. A second goal for Danns in the dying embers seemed almost routine in comparison.
Both had collected winners’ medals at the weekend and whatever they go on to achieve in their Liverpool careers, whether they play 20 more games or 200, they will always have these golden days which have left Jürgen Klopp so enthused by football’s uncanny habit of creating special stories. It was the first time that two 18-year-old’s had ever scored in the same game for Liverpool and their pinch-me-moments were celebrated with as much gusto as you would expect.
Advertisement
Afterwards Klopp drew comparisons with another teenage sporting prodigy in Luke Littler and said: “I cannot imagine how this week feels for the boys — it feels pretty good for me. It is a little like with the new darts sensation.
“It is fine for tonight but from tomorrow leave the boys in the corner, please. Don’t ask, ‘Where are they now, where are they now, where are they now?’ They have a lot to improve and a lot to learn. They will have their moments and more moments than they would have probably expected with our squad situation.”
Opportunity knocked because of injury and Liverpool’s ranks remained so depleted that Joe Gomez was deployed as a midfield No 6 for the first time in his career.
Klopp singled him out for praise afterwards, hailing his versatility for saving their lives “20 times” this term, and perhaps it was inevitable that the disruption, plus their exertions and the emotion expended in the capital, meant it took much of the opening half for the hosts to find rhythm.
The Liverpool manager conceded his team were “all over the place” and “horrendous” for 15 minutes and his counterpart, Russell Martin, was left to rue Southampton’s profligacy.
Advertisement
Martin made eight changes to the side who lost against Millwall last weekend, but such rotation did not limit their ambition. Technically adept, composed and clear of their game plan of playing out from the back, they should have scored twice inside a minute in the opening stages. Kamaldeen Sulemana clipped the outside of the post and, seconds later, Sékou Mara was denied by the Liverpool goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, after dispossessing James McConnell. Kelleher would deny Sulemana later too.
“I don’t think it is a fair reflection of the game really,” Martin said. “We should have been one or two up before they scored. The difference was in the quality of the finishing.”
The momentum shifted just before the break when Koumas received the ball wide on the left where he had started, popped a pass to Kostas Tsimikas and continued a forward run inside. He was found by Bobby Clark and proceeded to move beyond Jack Stephens before a shot from the edge of the area clipped Jan Bednarek and wrong- footed the Southampton goalkeeper, Joe Lumley. Koumas, whose father, Jason, played for Tranmere Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Wales, was the 88th player to make his bow under Klopp and ran away, a picture of elation.
By the end, 16-year-old Trey Nyoni, signed from Leicester City this season, became the 89th. In between, Danns made his indelible impression, taking his tally to 23 goals in 24 games at under-18, under-21 and now senior level.
Southampton were ruthlessly punished when Will Smallbone gave the ball away to Harvey Elliott, who encouraged Danns to run in behind Bednarek, and his impudent finish in front of The Kop was a sheer delight.
Advertisement
Then, when Conor Bradley’s strike was then pushed away by Lumley, Danns pounced, reacting more quickly than his rivals to the loose ball.
It was only last Wednesday that Danns made his debut. Now he has played in a cup final and scored two goals. The Kids Are Alright by the Who had played over the Tannoy as Liverpool ran out a half-time, a neat summation if ever there was one.
FA Cup quarter-final draw
Wolves v Coventry City
Manchester United v Liverpool
Chelsea v Leicester City
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Liverpool (4-3-3): C Kelleher 8 — C Bradley 7, J Quansah 6, V Van Dijk 7 (I Konaté 45, 7), K Tsimikas 7 — J McConnell 6 (A Mac Allister 62, 6), J Gomez 7, B Clark 8 — H Elliott 7 (T Nyoni 78), C Gakpo 5 (K Gordon 89), L Koumas 7 (J Danns 62, 9).
Southampton (4-3-3): J Lumley 6 — J Bree 6 (K Walker-Peters 58, 6) (S Amo-Ameyaw 75), J Stephens 6, J Bednarek 5, R Manning 6 — J Aribo 7, S Charles 6, J Rothwell 6 (W Smallbone 69, 5) — S Edozie 6 (C Adams 69, 6), S Mara 7, K Sulemana 6 (A Armstrong 58 6) Booked Manning.
Advertisement
Referee C Pawson
