by And for their next trick, Liverpool progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup thanks to two 18-year-olds who were due to play Leeds in the FA Youth Cup semi-final on Thursday and put on the youngest player to be in the tournament. in the history of the club. The Liverpool academy continues to pursue the four.
Lewis Koumas, son of former Tranmere and Wales player Jason, and Jayden Danns, son of former Crystal Palace midfielder Neil, scored the goals that secured the Carabao Cup winners’ visit to Manchester United in the last eight.
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“We haven’t won a trophy, since Sunday evening,” said the Kop after seeing two 18-year-olds in the same game for Liverpool for the first time. Not content with winning the first trophy of the season with inexperienced youngsters three days earlier, Jürgen Klopp also brought on 16-year-old Trey Nyoni for his first FA Cup goal for good measure.
Southampton created more than enough chances to end Klopp’s hopes of finishing his Liverpool reign with another trip to Wembley. But they lacked the quality, determination and drive before the goal that Koumas showed on his full Liverpool debut and Danns was scoring his first two goals for his boyhood club.
“It’s like the new sensation of darts,” said Klopp, drawing an unexpected comparison between the Liverpool lad and Luke Littler. “It’s fine tonight [to praise them] but tomorrow leave them alone, they have a lot to learn. They are exceptional talents.
“Of course it’s not natural for someone to be 18 years old [Danns], as calm as you like, comes into that situation and puts the ball in. The future doesn’t look so bad. Perhaps people don’t forget, when the transfer window opens – don’t close the door on these boys. But Joe Gomez is the real story. Joe saved our lives and the kids kept us in the competition. I didn’t respect him more.”
Gomez was anchored in the middle of the field with two other teenagers, Bobby Clark and James McConnell, on either side. Klopp was forced to turn to youth again with Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo stepping up the ranks of the injured. Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah also started with Koumas making his first full start on the left of Liverpool’s attack.
Southampton manager Russell Martin called the changes out of desire, not necessity, with an eye on the club’s promotion prospects. Eight other players may have been welcomed out of Saturday’s home win against Millwall, but he was overshadowed by his team’s impressive display. It should have been a comfortable lead before Liverpool found their way into the final.
“The start was all over the place,” admitted Klopp. “They tried to push because they know I want to push them, but the timing was terrible.”
Kamaldeen Sulemana set the pattern for Southampton’s losing night when they sent an early shot against the post. Sékou Mara had an excellent chance, who turned over Kevin Kelleher after 29 seconds but was clearly on the wrong side, seconds later when he dispossessed McConnell. His low shot was saved by the Liverpool goalkeeper.
Joe Rothwell made his way into space inside the area but shot Kelleher’s goal well. Sulemana had another great chance when he left Bradley and Quansah and left the Republic of Ireland final to win. A tame, straight-sided finish by Kelleher ensured it wasn’t.
Liverpool punished the visitors’ profligacy for the first time when Koumas marked his first with a moment he will never forget. Receiving Clark’s pass on the corner of the area, the teenager cut across Jack Stephens and sent a low shot that flew into the bottom corner via a slight deflection from Jan Bednarek. Goalkeeper Joe Lumley was rooted to the spot.
Southampton continued to create the more clear-cut chances until it slowed down in the final 15 minutes and continued to waste them. Sulemana, Bednarek, Joe Aribo and Shea Charles missed opportunities to equalize before Liverpool overcame the tie.
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There was an inevitability to the next round of penalties, given the quality of Liverpool’s second goal and the age of the scorer. It stemmed from a mistake made by Southampton substitute Will Smallbone who played a stray pass straight to Harvey Elliott.
Elliott, a veteran of this Liverpool team at the age of 20, released Danns with a beautifully weighted pass and the teenager produced a superb finish past the advancing Lumley for his first senior goal.
Danns’ second came after Lumley headed Bradley’s shot back into the penalty area and the fastest striker responded to convert into an empty net. “It’s unreal to get on the scoresheet and score at the end of the Kop, it doesn’t feel real to me,” Danns said. “It feels like I’m in a movie.”
