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The 18 year old goalscorer Jayden Danns, Jürgen Klopp

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Paul Ellis/AFP

Jürgen Klopp can continue to hope for the next of four possible titles in his final season with Liverpool FC, and he also has two 18-year-olds to thank for that.

Three days after winning the League Cup, the leaders of the English Premier League moved into the quarter-finals of the prestigious FA Cup.

The Reds won 3-0 (1-0) against second division club Southampton FC in their round of 16 at Anfield Road on Wednesday evening.

The special thing about it: As before in the League Cup, Klopp, whose team has been complaining about bad luck with injuries for weeks, had to send an extremely young team onto the field.

And so it was 18-year-old striker Lewis Koumas who took the lead for the hosts in the 44th minute on his professional debut.

The other goals were also scored by an 18-year-old: Jayden Danns, who came on for Koumas in the 63rd minute, made the final score with a brace (73rd/88th minute).

For the young player, it was also his first professional goal.

The list of Liverpool's absences is as long as it is prominent, from Mohamed Salah to goalkeeper Alisson to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago, the team is missing experienced footballers.

Koumas, Danns, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Bobby Clark, you have to be an experienced youth football expert to know some of those who are currently playing in this team instead.

That had already been the case in the League Cup against Chelsea, when Liverpool's talents dominated their more experienced opponents in extra time and won 1-0.

Now one thing shouldn't happen, Klopp said after the cup success over Southampton: you have to avoid praising the young players to the sky.

Instead, you have to give them time to develop.

Klopp drew a comparison to darts professional Luke Littler, who last month became the youngest player to reach the final of the Darts World Championship and lost there.

“Please leave the boys alone.”

"It's a bit like the new darts sensation," said Klopp: "It's fine for tonight, but from tomorrow please leave the boys alone and don't ask 'where are they now, where are they now.' , Where are you now'.

They still have a lot to improve, a lot to learn,” said Klopp.

The 56-year-old coach recently announced that he will be leaving Liverpool FC next summer.

He will then take at least a one-year break from football, said Klopp.

About the time after his departure, he said: "We have already said a few times that the future doesn't look so bad." In the coming transfer summer, the club should not forget that there are already some promising players in the squad.

“You can’t close the door on them with twelve obligations.”

Liverpool face Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup (March 16/17).

The team also still has a real chance of winning the title in the league and the Europa League.

mon/dpa/Reuters