Danns at the double as Klopp's kids shine to set up United clash

LOCAL BOY DONE GOOD: Liverpool's Jayden Danns celebrates. Pic: Peter Byrne, PA Wire.

Liverpool 3 Southampton 0 

Jurgen Klopp's super kids kept alive Liverpool's dream of a quadruple of trophies as their manager's farewell tour gathered further impressive momentum at Anfield.

Two goals from Jayden Danns and one from Lewis Koumas - both only 18 - sent the Merseyside club through to an FA Cup quarter-final with bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford next month.

It was a remarkable triumph against high-riding Championship team Southampton, considering the number of senior players who were missing.

But as they did four days earlier when helping lift the League Cup at Wembley, Liverpool's hugely talented youthful brigade stepped up to the plate to point to a bright future for the club.

Koumas and Danns are both the sons of former players - Koumas being the son of former Tranmere, West Brom and Wales midfielder Jason - while Dann is the offspring of former Liverpool player Neil.

And they made their dads - plus Klopp and their academy coaches - so proud on a night when the average age of Liverpool's starting lineup was only 23 years and 128 days.

By the end that figure was even lower because Klopp sent on Trey Nyoni, who became the club's third youngest-ever player at 16 years and 212 days.

Klopp had no option to go with the kids, with no fewer than 11 of his experienced regulars missing.

Darwin Nunez, Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai were still not ready while Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo and Andy Roberton (illness) joined a casualty list that already included Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander Arnold, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara.

If the Anfield crowd needed any more whipping up, the ball boys took it in turns to parade the Carabao Cup before kick-off.

But with such an unfamiliar and inexperienced line-up, it came as no surprise that Liverpool made a disjointed start. And but for Cork's Caoimhin Kelleher and some poor finishing by Southampton they could have been out of the tie in the first half an hour.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher saves from Southampton's Sekou Mara. Pic: Peter Byrne, PA Wire.

Saints sent a warning in the first minute when Sekhou Mara scored but the strike was ruled out for offside.

Liverpool had another let-off when Kamaldeen Sulemana struck the post after a fine run by Joe Aribo had opened up the home defence.

Kelleher came to Liverpool's rescue with a fine save from Mara and then twice from the dangerous Sulemana while Joe Rothwell fired just wide.

Gradually though Klopp's young team settled but they had to wait until the 41st minute before Harvey Elliott produced their first shot on target when he forced a good save out of Joe Lumley.

But that encouraged Liverpool and Koumas put them ahead a minute before half-time when he ran on to a pass by Bobby Clark - son of former Newcastle player Lee - before cutting inside Jack Stephens to score with a shot that took a deflection of Jan Bednarek.

Cody Gakpo should have made it two just before the break but dragged his shot wide after being put through by the lively Koumas.

Klopp made a change at half-time, bringing on Ibrahima Konate for Virgil Van Dijk but Kelleher came to Liverpool's rescue again early in the second half with another save from Sulemana.

Aribo glanced a header over from a corner as Saints continued to threaten but Gakpo, guilty of two misses in the first half, made it a hat-trick of spurned opportunities by dragging his shot wide when he should have scored.

With the game in the balance, Alexis Mac Allister and Danns came on for James McConnell and Koumas - and it was Danns who made the difference.

When Elliott put him through in the 73rd minute he showed great composure to calmly lift his shot over the advancing Lumley.

And then he was the first to react with a first-time finish after Lumley had parried Conor Bradley's shot to cap a memorable night for him and the club.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Kelleher 8; Bradley 8, Quansah 6, Van Dijk 7 (Konate 46, 6), Tsimikas 6; McConnell 7 (Mac Allister 62, 6), Gomez 6, Clark 7; Elliott 7 (Nyoni 77, 7), Gakpo 5 (Gordon 89, 5), Koumas 7 (Danns 62, 9).

Southampton (4-3-3): Lumley 6; Bree 5 (Walker-Peters 57, 6), Stephens 6, Bednarek 6, Manning 6, Aribo 6, Rothwell 6 (Smallbone 69, 5), Charles 6 (Adams 69, 5); Edozie 6, Mara 6, Sulemana 7 (A Armstrong 57, 5).

Referee: Craig Pawson 7.