Jurgen Klopp says James McConnell was a ‘joy to watch’ during Liverpool’s 4-0 pre-season win over Leicester City on Sunday.
Liverpool are in Singapore for their pre-season tour and they easily dispatched the recently-relegated Premier League side, with a host of young stars being handed a shot.
One of them was 18-year-old James McConnell and it’s fair to say that he left a lasting impression on his manager, Jurgen Klopp.
A midfielder by trade, but someone that can play further forward, McConnell was used as a number six, and as Klopp pointed out, he ‘never played the position before’, yet he thrived, as he told the club’s official website.
During Klopp’s time at Anfield, he has always given opportunities to the young stars and he is doing so here again.
Now it’s up to those players to use that to become regular members of the senior squad, with Klopp sharing his thoughts.
“James [McConnell] on the six is just a joy to watch,” said Klopp.
“The boy never played the position before we put him there and he throws his heart on the pitch to fill the role. These things are really good.”
Liverpool in the Europa League
It wasn’t so long ago that the Reds were pushing to win four trophies and they came ever so close to creating history.
But now they find themselves in the Europa League and it will be interesting to see how Klopp uses the competition.
The minimum aim for next season will be to get back into the Champions League. Will Klopp use a few of his younger stars on Thursday nights?
Or will he go hell for leather and ensure your Mo Salahs of this world are starting, both in midweek and at the weekends in the Premier League?!
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