Jurgen Klopp couldn’t stop smiling in response to one reporter’s question following Liverpool’s 4-0 win over LASK tonight.
There were plenty of positives to take for the Reds – a comfortable win, a clean sheet and a straight passage to the Europa League round of 16 as they wrapped up top spot in Group E.
Another huge plus was the return of Conor Bradley after four months out with injury, with the 20-year-old coming on for the closing minutes at Anfield.
When asked about the Northern Ireland defender by TNT Sports‘ Becky Ives, Klopp replied with an extended beaming smile: “I love that, they deserve it. Conor, with just a few moments in the game, you can see immediately he’s a real talent, a real prospect for us.
“It’s cool. We could’ve brought on Kaide Gordon, who’s finally back in full training and he looks super in training.
“It’s harsh for these boys but now we have to make sure that we don’t overdo it. We have to be careful with these boys, but now [Bradley] is back and now he can help us.”
It was indeed a pleasure to see youngsters like Bradley and Luke Chambers being brought on to see out the final few minutes of Liverpool’s comfortable win.
With nothing riding on the final group game against Union Saint-Gilloise in two weeks’ time, the up-and-coming prospects at Anfield are likely to get a welcome start in the Reds’ first-team, as the regulars are bound to be rested for the Premier League clash against Manchester United three days later.
You can view Klopp’s comments below (from 2:28), via @footballontnt on X (formerly Twitter):
"You can now put this competition to bed until March, how do you feel about that?"
Jurgen Klopp: "Good, good!" 🤣
Liverpool's manager breathes a sigh of relief as the Reds storm into the top spot in their #UEL group!
🎙️ @Becky_Ives_ pic.twitter.com/vhjUwmrLZU
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 30, 2023