Jarell Quansah has made significant progress this season, yet the Liverpool youngster remains vigilant and focused.
Throughout this season, Liverpool have experienced numerous defining moments, with one of the most memorable occurring during their match against Newcastle United in August.
Darwin Nunez’s impressive performance off the bench, scoring two late goals, showcased the team’s resolute attitude, a trait that was once again demonstrated in their thrilling victory against Nottingham Forest over the weekend.
The match against Newcastle, a team considered to be a top-four contender, had far-reaching implications, as it sent them into a downward spiral from which they are only now beginning to recover.
The game served as calling card of Jarell Quansah, who came off the bench with 13 minutes remaining for his debut to bolster a Reds defence that had spent much of the game without the dismissed skipper Virgil van Dijk.
The defender has not looked back since. This speaks volumes about Quansah’s adeptness in transitioning to top-tier football. Consequently, there are minimal worries regarding his potential appearance as a centre-back in the Reds’ Europa League campaign revival. This is set to commence with a round of 16 first-leg encounter against Sparta Prague on Thursday.
Quansah’s breakthrough is significant. Trey Nyoni, introduced during the second half of Liverpool’s FA Cup victory over Southampton last Wednesday, became the 42nd Academy graduate to make a first-team appearance under Jurgen Klopp.
Notably, players like Trent Alexander-Arnold (302), Curtis Jones (125), Caoimhin Kelleher (39), Neco Williams (33), and Nat Phillips (29) have more Liverpool appearances than Quansah, highlighting the trust placed in him by Klopp and the coaching staff. Similar to Conor Bradley and Elliott, Quansah, at 21, has defied the tradition of loan spells often being seen as necessary for a young player’s development away from Anfield.
“I’m not sitting here saying I’m going to be around the squad forever, but when you go away on loan you’ve got to learn things,” says Quansah, who spent the second half of last season at League One side Bristol Rovers.
“You’ve got to take it all in and try to get better because when your opportunity comes here it is never over. You’ve got to keep going, you’ve got to keep building and you can never get complacent here.
“That’s a big thing I’ve learnt – you can play well for 10, 20 or 50 games, but as soon as you take your foot off the gas it will catch up with you real quick. So I think knowing that in the back of your head always keeps you on your toes, keeps you grounded and keeps you pushing to want to be in the team.”
Quansah came through the ranks alongside right-back Bradley, with the pair featuring together in the Liverpool side beaten by Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup final in 2021.
Quansah admits he always wanted to play with Conor Bradley: “Myself and Conor had a good two years of playing together properly,” he says. “I’ve obviously known him for a lot longer, but since he was a right-back and playing next to me I’ve always wanted to play in the same team as Conor because of everything that comes with him.
“We know each other’s games very well and were both able to mature away from the club last season, so to be able to come back together and play in the same team makes it easier. We bounce off each other.”
Quansah has already secured a significant accolade this season by contributing during extra time in the League Cup final victory against Chelsea. The possibility of achieving the quadruple still exists, as the young player has consistently appeared in the Europa League group stage matches.
“Any opportunity to win a trophy is one we want to take,” says Quansah, speaking to the official Liverpool matchday programme. “There are a limited number of chances to win trophies and if the opportunity is in front of you then you’ve got to take it.
“You’ve got to want to win every game and I feel like that’s the special thing about this group. There are no days off, we are always striving to perform the best way we can to win games. Winning in the cups is a good way to gain momentum.”
In other Liverpool news, Jurgen Klopp Backs Liverpool Star for International Recall Amid His Unwavering Commitment This Season