Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for his youngsters after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Preston on Wednesday night, explaining the plan to get Tyler Morton first-team ready.
Morton made his first start for the Reds as they visited North End in the fourth round of the League Cup, with 18-year-old Harvey Blair also given a full debut.
Conor Bradley, Owen Beck and Elijah Dixon-Bonner came off the bench, with academy graduate Neco Williams setting up both goals for Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi.
It was far from the most comprehensive display from Liverpool, but with 11 changes made from the side that thrashed Man United at the weekend, that was to be expected.
And speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Klopp hailed his young cohort, singling Morton out for praise while admitting he should be sent “directly to the gym.”
“You can see Tyler Morton, I told him now we pretty much have to send him directly to the gym now,” the manager said.
“Because if he gets a body, he’s a brilliant footballer.
“There’s obviously some things to come physique-wise, but the football brain is outstanding.”
Earlier in his interview, Klopp admitted that the decision withdraw a struggling Blair – who to date has only made 10 appearances for the under-18s – changed the game in Liverpool’s favour.
But as he went through the youngsters that featured, he was full of sympathy for the 18-year-old, as one of a number of players he told: “It’s not your last game.”
“Harvey is a real talent, but strikers, offensive players, they need passes, they need the right moments,” Klopp added.
“You can’t expect that in the first game against a Championship team that he outplays four players and shoots the ball in the far corner.
“Conor Bradley is a real talent, a real talent. I like his heart, he’s playing with a lot of heart, and speed, the little solo which he showed was really nice.
“And Elijah deserved just a few minutes, that’s how it is.
“I think everybody knows, Owen Beck already played a lot of games for us in the pre-season, really good games, another talent.
“I like that we could give the boys the opportunities, even when it was only a few minutes.
“It’s only the start for them. It’s not the last game, it’s the first game for some. Now they can build on that.”
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