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Social media reacts as Jayden Danns and 'Klopp's Kids' beat Southampton

Social media reacts as Jayden Danns and 'Klopp's Kids' beat Southampton

Vishal Subramanian 29 Feb 2024, 09:08 Last modified: 29 Feb 2024

Liverpool beat Southampton 3-0 to advance to the FA Cup quarter finals on Wednesday night, and they did it with the kids.

With the Reds' treatment room now so full it must be breaking all kinds of fire safety regulations, Jurgen Klopp once again turned to La Axa to get the job done.

Liverpool started the match with no fewer than seven homegrown players in the lineup, six of whom are 21 or younger, while six teenagers made an appearance on the night.

'Klopp's Kids' shone against tricky opposition with Lewis Koumas (18) opening the scoring with a debut goal after an assist from Bobby Clark (19) just before half-time.

Substitute Jayden Danns (18) then came on in the second half bag a double capping a frankly ludicrous week for someone who is still basically a toddler.

🤝 21st February: Makes his Premier League debut
🏆 25th February: Wins the Carabao Cup
⚽️ 28th February: Scores his first senior Liverpool goal

What a week it's been for 18-year-old Jayden Danns 🌟 pic.twitter.com/EC92Dmeuz7
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 28, 2024

To put into perspective just how young Danns is while making you feel old...

Jayden Danns was 4 months old when the Gerrard FA Cup final happened. That is all.pic.twitter.com/GCVmrtQ4dr
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) February 29, 2024

However, Danns himself is practically a grizzled veteran compared to second-half debutant Trey Nyoni.

The summer arrival from Leicester has made the matchday squad on a number of occasions including the Carabao Cup final, finally making his bow on 78 minutes against Southampton.

But just how young is he? Here have some more disturbing facts to make you feel like a fossil on a Thursday morning...

Trey Nyoni is the first player born in 2007 to play for #LFC. He was born over a month after the Champions League final v Milan that year.

Aged 16 years, 243 days, he is the 3rd-youngest debutant in the club's history, after Jerome Sinclair (16y 6d) & Harvey Elliott (16y 174d).
— Michael Reid (@michael_reid11) February 28, 2024

Trey Nyoni was born 4 days before Fernando Torres signed for Liverpool
— bob (@Robbie_OR) February 28, 2024

No way this Nyoni guy is older than 3
— sabah (@Sabah07) February 28, 2024

Ben Chilwell speeding up the M40 to give Trey Nyoni a piece of his mind.
— Ted Maul (@blindtubemares) February 28, 2024

But wait, lads... Don't get too carried away with the Reds' Gen Z heroes. One man is here to tell you it's all a big media narrative because Klopp didn't give birth to them all himself.

“Jayden Danns isn’t a Liverpool academy graduate because he didn’t play for Liverpool when he was a toddler. He only joined when he was 8 years old. Don’t believe the narrative that they’re pushing.” pic.twitter.com/IPbJi1KLjS
— Ben (@SMXLFC) February 28, 2024

"If we start calling players you've poached from Rainhill Primary Under-7s 'home-grown' then where do we draw the line?" pic.twitter.com/KYDIPpa1N1
— Chris (@CM__LFC) February 28, 2024

The role of the academy stars has been just the latest twist in a frankly incredible rollercoaster of season so far for Liverpool.

And fans were full of praise for the youngsters who have risen to the occasion amid the injury crisis.

The squad appears capable of challenging on all fronts as we approach the business end of the season no matter what is thrown at it, while the future of Liverpool looks bright even beyond Klopp's departure this summer.

It's like Jurgen Klopp is finding new and more ridiculous ways to win football games just so Liverpool fans miss him even more when he goes. Patched up doesn't do that team justice, and yet two 18-year-olds win it on their first and third appearances respectively. It's madness.
— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) February 28, 2024

Liverpool are playing a completely random line-up with a bunch of kids, made a lot of subs bit you would be always able to tell that this is a Klopp coached team.

He doesn’t get enough flowers tactically, but he’s the ONLY guy in the world, who would be able to manage this….
— Jan Říha (@HonzaRihaftbl) February 28, 2024

This season is genuinely hilarious. Every week a new kid steps up to be the hero. What a moment for Koumas. Trey Nyoni wins us the game vs City with an overhead kick.
— barry (@BackseatsmanLFC) February 28, 2024

Bring on City. We'll play the Under-8s.