Jarell Quansah makes ‘huge statement’ ahead of Liverpool v Aston Villa
Liverpool star Jarell Quansah made a huge statement to Arne Slot in the 2-1 win against Wolves on Sunday.
The young English defender has struggled for regular minutes in this campaign after his stunning breakthrough under Jurgen Klopp last season.
However, he may have forced his way back into the starting equation with a monster performance against Vitor Pereira’s side (16 February).
His display may earn him a start against Aston Villa (19 January) over Ibrahima Konate who was nearly sent off in the contest.
Jarell Quansah proves he can step up for Liverpool
The England Under-21 international has featured just six times in the Premier League this season for a total of 270 minutes.
He has started just twice, in the opening match against Ipswich in which he was replaced at half-time, and against Newcastle away where he featured as a right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold out injured.
Many young players would sulk and push for a move but Quansah has maintained his professionalism and impressed when he has been called upon recently.
The 22-year-old made a crucial block to deny the visitors an equaliser and secure a vital three points in the title race.
He was also accurate with all 30 of his passes in his 45-minute cameo at Anfield for a 100 per cent success rate. [Fotmob]
The former Bristol Rovers star also completed four passes into the final third as he attempted to drive the Reds forward to relieve the pressure from the relentless Wolves attack.
Defensively, he made two interceptions, two clearances and one block but there was nothing anyone could do about Matheus Cunha’s wonder-strike that made it a nervy finish.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot can trust Quansah again
Given Konate’s recent poor displays and the superb intervention that Jarell Quansah made against the Premier League strugglers, Slot can begin to trust him in the title race.
With 13 matches left to play in the league and the Champions League knockouts on the horizon, there will be plenty of opportunities for the youngster to make an impact given the fact that Joe Gomez has been ruled out for a considerable period.
| Stats (last 365 days all competitions) | Quansah | Konate |
| Pass completion | 90.3% | 89.2% |
| Tackles won (per 90) | 1.68 | 0.92 |
| Clearances (per 90) | 3.29 | 4.25 |
| Aerial Duels won (per 90) | 2.11 | 3.36 |
If he can do so, he can revive his Reds breakthrough that has seemed to stall very harshly after Slot moved into the dugout on Merseyside.
One thing is for sure, he has a huge future at Anfield and can be trusted to put his body on the line in pursuit of glory this season.