Jarell Quansah outlines ambition after Joel Matip injury

Jarell Quansah has admitted that while Joel Matip's injury is a 'shame', he hopes to use the opportunity presented to establish himself in the Liverpool first team.

The 20-year-old centre back scored his first season goal for the Reds during Thursday night's 2-1 defeat away at Union Saint-Gilloise.

With Liverpool already confirmed as Europa League Group E winners, the match was a dead rubber. However, Quansah's strike was a highlight, given the young defender controversially had a goal ruled out against Toulouse earlier in the group phase.

Quansah played all 90 minutes of the game in Belgium, as Jurgen Klopp fielded Liverpool's youngest-ever starting XI in Europe.

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The outing was his 12th of the season, with the former Bristol Rovers loanee growing into his role as a first-team figure.

There are likely to be more opportunities in the coming weeks and months, following Matip's season-ending ACL injury earlier this month.

Klopp recently implied that Quansah's development meant he was unlikely to dip into the January transfer market for a replacement.

Speaking after the defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise, Quansah declared his own ambition in becoming a regular in Klopp's side.

"I guess at the start of the season when I stayed here and didn't go out on loan I thought 'I want to play in these games'," Quansah told Liverpoolfc.com.

"Obviously it's a shame what happened to Joel and my condolences go with him, but my idea was to try to get over him... and try to be a starter in the Premier League.

"I'm just trying and hopefully more [opportunities] will come. I'm just trying to really push on and be the best centre-back I can be."

Quansah – who started the Reds' last Premier League game against Crystal Palace – also made clear his ambition to be involved again this weekend, as Liverpool welcome Manchester United to Anfield.

"It's box office TV, especially at Anfield," the defender is quoted as saying. "We've got the new [Anfield Road] stand open so it just puts even more emphasis on the game.

"To be involved would be a great experience and just to feel what the game is really all about because I've only watched it on TV and in the crowd, so if I'm a part of that I'll really get a sense of what it really means to the Liverpool fans, and to get a win would be unbelievable!"