Jurgen Klopp believes there is a silver lining to Liverpool’s surprise post-break blip - with two youngsters proving they are ready to offer genuine first team options.
The Reds have gone into a shock slump with three defeats in their last four games, after previously losing just two all season - and one of those was the youth team in the Carabao Cup quarter final.
That has seen them crash out of the FA Cup and also put their Champions League progress in jeopardy as they trail Atletico Madrid, but Klopp still sees positives in the displays of Curtis Jones and Neco Williams.
Both were outstanding in the midweek defeat at Chelsea , putting some of their more senior team-mates to shame, and Klopp insisted they have proved their worth to the first team.
“Look, Curtis showed so many things where everybody thought, 'Wow, what a player'. Yes, and then you lose the ball, that's a learning process,” he said.
“That's learning. You cannot learn it at home in the living room, you have to learn on the pitch and you have to react on it, and he’s done that. He’s shown he’s a fantastic talent.
“And Neco too. He played a super game at Chelsea, and obviously showed that we can really have a second full-back coming, which helps us massively for the future. Curtis too.”
Jones has only just turned 19, and Williams is still 18, and both have been told by Klopp they have a bright future at Anfield.
For Wales U19 full back Williams, who looks a real find, the chance to play against top international stars like Pedro and Willian at Chelsea is a huge boost in his career development.
“I’ve played against top, top players and that’s the only way you are going to learn - the better players and the better opponents you play against are going to improve you as a player,” he said.
“The more games I play the more confident I’m going to get. I’m just thankful for the boss choosing me and trusting me.”
Klopp had some good news with Naby Keita coming through a full training session to declare himself fit for the weekend.
