Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has hailed Stefan Bajcetic despite the 3-0 hammering at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
The Reds headed to Molineux desperately looking for a positive result but returned to Anfield somewhat embarrassed.
Joel Matip’s early own goal set the tone for a truly dismal performance before Craig Dawson lashed home number two.
Liverpool huffed and puffed in search of a way back into the game but ended up conceding a third as Ruben Neves finished off a sweeping counter-attack.
Liverpool continue to look uninspired and completely disorganised at the back.
It’s now just one point from four league games in 2023 and Liverpool’s top four hopes appear to be crumbling mere days into February.
Jurgen Klopp hails Liverpool talent Stefan Bajcetic
There isn’t a great deal to shout about for Liverpool fans right now.
Klopp has managed to find a positive though, and it’s the confidence of young talent Stefan Bajcetic.
The 18-year-old has forced his way into the Liverpool team and has now started two league games in a row.
Formerly of Celta Vigo, Bajcetic joined Liverpool in 2020 and has become one of the club’s most promising young players.
Bajcetic couldn’t stop Liverpool falling to a heavy defeat at Wolves but did earn praise from Klopp.
Speaking to Liverpool’s official website after the final whistle on Saturday, Klopp picked out Bajcetic as a bright spot.
The German suggested that Bajcetic played ‘full of confidence’ and kept trying to play the right way until being substituted for Harvey Elliott on 77 minutes.
Klopp felt that others in the Liverpool team didn’t quite have Bajcetic’s confidence levels but felt the Reds could have got back into the game at 2-0 down.
“You saw Stefan Bajcetic full of confidence, he plays football for as long as we kept him on the pitch,” said Klopp. “All the others, started a bit different, but second half, with low-confidence levels, playing this kind of game, I think nobody would have been surprised if we scored here, that we could have scored once and twice and then let’s have a look at the game,” he added.
Youthful exuberance appears to be working in Bajcetic’s favour here and he looks set to play a key role moving forward.
Liverpool just have to hope that these defeats don’t sap the confidence from the teenager, as it has for many of his teammates.
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