Liverpool secret is out as Jurgen Klopp gets new first team option

Klopp kids are more than alright

The Voice of Anfield was speaking for everyone inside the stadium. Both before the game and at half-time, George Sephton felt the urge to spin the classic track from The Who declaring “The Kids Are Alright”. And the continued evidence is they most certainly are.

Having helped drag Liverpool over the line to an astonishing League Cup final triumph against Chelsea at Wembley, the Reds’ Academy graduates were required once again as the relentless churn of fixtures brought an FA Cup fifth-round tie at home to Southampton.

Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai may have been fit enough to join the celebrations on Sunday, but they remained absent here, among 14 senior players not involved.

It meant, along with starts for Bobby Clark and James McConnell, a senior debut for 18-year-old forward Lewis Koumas, son of former Wales and Tranmere Rovers midfielder Jason.

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The teenager, a regular scorer for both the under-18s and U21s this season, has been on Jurgen Klopp’s radar since being involved heavily during pre-season preparations. And if his debut goal was aided by a deflection off Jan Bednarek, Koumas had merited such fortune with his willingness to continually run at the Southampton defence.

He was afforded a huge reception when being replaced shortly after the hour by Jayden Danns, who by contrast has been recently fast-tracked into the first-team picture due to the availability crisis.

Like Koumas, he took his chance. Twice, in fact. First the forward demonstrated superb composure to dink home Harvey Elliott’s