View: 88% Jarell Quansah shows why he has to start after latest Liverpool display
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah excelled in the 2-1 victory against Arsenal this week and staked his claim to start the first match of the 2024/25 Premier League season alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Arne Slot continued his unbeaten record on the pre-season tour of the USA courtesy of goals from Mohammed Salah and Fabio Carvalho in Philadelphia on Thursday (1 August).
Kai Havertz pulled a consolation goal back for Arsenal in the second half but it was another fantastic display for the Reds, who have adapted quickly to life under Slot.
Jarell Quansah could start ahead of Ibrahima Konate for Liverpool
Quansah emerged as a surprise package for Liverpool last season and established himself as a consistent performer under Jurgen Klopp.
The 21-year-old made his debut from the bench in the 2-1 win against Newcastle United on the third matchday of last season and went on to make 34 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, filling the void left by Joel Matip, who suffered a season-ending injury in his final Anfield year.
He arrived into the first team relatively unknown and has slowly developed into a contender for Ibrahima Konate alongside van Dijk, so much so that Liverpool consider him untouchable after Newcastle tried to negotiate for the defender to be included in the deal to bring Anthony Gordon to Anfield.
His performances earned a call-up to the England provisional Euro 2024 squad. Despite missing out on the final team, he was named ahead of Jarrad Branthwaite as the stand-by option in case one of the defenders suffered a tournament-ending injury.
Quansah was excellent once again in Philadelphia. Pre-season performances are for the most part overlooked but it cannot be understated how impressive the young defender looked against Premier League opposition.
He won 100 per cent of his duels contested and made three clearances, while also completing 83 per cent of his passes in the build-up play. He also helped his side push further up the pitch with 50 per cent completion of his long balls (Sofascore).
The personal highlight of the match was the goal-saving block in the first half when Quansah stretched across to intercept the ball heading towards Gabriel Jesus to convert into the open goal.
Liverpool have star on their hands in Jarell Quansah
His debut season in the Premier League was one to remember. Not only did he score three times in his maiden campaign, but he was also trusted to start in important matches against Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.
Quansah is the epitome of the modern centre-back, ending the season with an 88 per cent pass completion rate in the league, placing him in the top 71.8 percentile of defenders (Fotmob). He also finished in the top 83 percentile for progressive passes with 4.74 completed per match (FBref).
The England U21 international looked like he had been playing first-team football for years as he showed quality and maturity beyond his age, not shying away from the big challenges and thriving when called upon as he made the transition to Premier League football from playing in League One with Bristol Rovers look seamless.
He won 88 per cent of his tackles, one of the highest in the league in the 97.6 percentile, as well as 63.9 per cent of all duels contested to place him in the 76.5 percentile (Fotmob). He also made his physical presence known by averaging 3.12 aerial duels won per match for the top 89 percentile of Premier League defenders (FBref).
Liverpool fans began to panic about the club’s lack of activity in the transfer window when long-standing target Leny Yoro moved to Manchester United, but with the Frenchman now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines (Sky Sports, 1 August) and Quansah competing at the highest level, the Reds are well enough stocked at centre-back.
In Quansah, Liverpool have one of the most promising young defenders in England. His development must become a priority for Slot and he has the perfect partner to learn his trade from in van Dijk.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Joe Gomez, Sepp van den Berg and Van Dijk, who has only 12 months left on his contract, the Reds may have to dip into the market for another centre-back, but they will do well to find one who is better than Quansah.
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