Klopp: Everyone took their opportunity against Lincoln

Jurgen Klopp was thrilled by the performance of his team as a second string Liverpool side put seven past League One outfit Lincoln City in the third round of the League Cup on Thursday evening.

It was the kind of game where the players who do not get consistent minutes in the first team get their moment in the spotlight.

Virgil Van Dijk was the only first team regular in the starting lineup and he was surrounded by a number of exciting prospects and players who were looking to remind Jurgen Klopp of their qualities.

Speaking after the match, Klopp outlined his satisfaction but said it is the kind of quality that he expects to see of his players.

“If a player shows desire, because they all can play football, that’s why they are at Liverpool. 

“Who shows the desire we saw tonight, who shows the attitude we saw tonight, who shows so many things that I like and we want to see when a Liverpool team shows up, then there’s a big chance you’ll get a lot of games during the season

One of those players who is really starting to find his feet at senior level is Curtis Jones.

Once again the 19 year-old grabbed the headlines with two outstanding goals which really pleased the manager but said he is in still in the development phase.

“I think each game is ideal for Curtis to play in because of the quality he has, the skills he has.

"First half, really good. Start of the second half, really good. And then, yeah, still space for improvement obviously. 

“But I think everybody knows my opinion about Curtis Jones. He is an exceptional talent and we will have some fun with him, I’m pretty sure, in the future.

"Both of his goals were difficult.

"I think the second goal, the first touch was absolutely exceptional – between two opponents, little turn, then he opens up, sees the opportunity and finished it off. It was slightly deflected, but that’s just exceptional. 

Klopp was also glowing in the performance of the other two-goal star in Takumi Minamino who is starting to show why Liverpool was so keen to sign him last January and the manager outlined where the Japanese international may be best suited in a team sense.

“I loved Taki’s game tonight, to be honest – it was absolutely outstanding and involved in so many situations. More and more, I think we all realise where his qualities are. 

“Wherever he will play in the end, he will end up in the centre: if he plays on the left wing or the right wing, he will play in the half-spaces or the centre because that’s where he has his real strength. He looked really well. 

“The opponent had to kick off seven times [after our goals] and the first guy who chased the opponent again when they received the pass was Taki. He set the rhythm for all these pressing and counter-pressing situations, so I really, really liked the game tonight.

Finally, the German gave praise to a fan favourite in Xherdan Shaqiri who opened the scoring with a world-class free-kick and was a constant threat throughout with his creative mindset.

"First of all it was a super game; a super game from Shaq in a quite, I’m not sure, unfamiliar position – slightly deeper in midfield. He did it really, really well It was my fault [he was substituted] – he was completely fine, he twisted his ankle slightly but it was absolutely nothing.

"He touched it twice and I thought it was his calf, but it is nothing. I think it was anyway good to take him off then, but he played a really, really good game.

"The set-pieces were outstanding – the free-kick he scored with, what a goal that was! There is no doubt about Shaq’s quality, there was never [any doubt] and in the moment everything looks really, really good, it looks promising and we will see.

For a team that’s sometimes looked a bit short in the arl shooting from outside the box stakes, we’ve certainly leathered some in tonight. "

In a weird way the most promising aspect of Curtis's performance was his poorest period, as he got a bit casual and over confident as he realised he was on a different level to most of the players on the pitch.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Curtis Jones realises that quite often.