Liverpool trio James Milner, Harvey Elliot and Caoimhin Kelleher have been praised by Jurgen Klopp following the 2-0 win over MK Dons.
The Reds emerged victorious from the clash thanks to goals from Milner and defender Ki-Jana Hoever, and their manager Klopp was full of positives when he spoke about his Carabao Cup side after the game.
Elliot and Kelleher were making their debut for Liverpool and displayed plenty to leave fans a little bit excited for the future. It wasn’t always the most difficult game for goalkeeper Kelleher, but when called upon he really delivered the goods.
“Having these kind of saves, that’s absolutely brilliant,” the Irish Independent reported that his manager said. The Dons game was a real test of the stopper’s concentration, and for large periods he was redundant before being called into life after 75 minutes.
Elliot is only 16-years-old but he looks far more mature like that. He’s already made his Premier League debut with Fulham and can now tick a competitive first appearance with Liverpool off the list.
His team mate on the night, Joe Gomez, was reported by Goal as being full of praise for the attacker.
“He is a special player and it is refreshing to see such confidence. His ability is good and he did himself justice out there,” said Gomez.
Elliot could have had his first goal as well, had the fates been a bit kinder. He was guilty of missing one excellent game, and the forward also hit the post. But it’ll come, and nobody is impatient right now.
Milner, now 33-years-old, is at the other end of his career but he’s still playing like he’s at the beginning. His commitment and dedication to his profession is incredible and Klopp knows it.
“This man is on fire, he is a real role model for young players,” said the German – before adding that he still loves the game so much he would play every day if he could.
Milner has seen his game time slightly reduced this campaign, but he’s still an important member of the squad and will continue to deliver when the team need him.