Jarell Quansah Proves His Team-Mates Trust Him with Impressive Statistic

Liverpool youngster Jarell Quansah has been making waves since stepping up to the first team, and one statistic in particular proves how much his team-mates trust him.

The 20-year-old made his fourth start of the season in Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in the League Cup, partnering Joel Matip at centre-back. It came in horrible conditions at Dean Court as Storm Ciaran set in, with high winds and torrential rain making it difficult for either side to gain a foothold.

But the academy graduate stood out with his composed display, with Jurgen Klopp left saying “wow” in his post-match press conference. “In these circumstances, wow. So many difficult balls to judge, to estimate, where is it coming down? He did really well,” the manager said.

Quansah Touches the Ball More Than Twice the Amount of Centre-Back Partner Matip

Quansah was the out-ball almost every time in defence, with the youngster ending the fourth-round tie with the most touches for either side (114). In fact, he recorded at least 39 more touches than any other player, per FotMob, the next-highest being Curtis Jones (75).

Remarkably, Quansah touched the ball more than twice the amount of centre-back partner Matip (50), and more than Mohamed Salah (56) and Dominik Szoboszlai (54) combined.

No player completed more passes than the academy graduate, who found a team-mate with 86 of 97 attempts for an accuracy rate of 89 percent. In the storm on the south coast, Quansah also made the third-most passes into the final third for Liverpool, with four, behind only Harvey Elliott (10) and Joe Gomez (eight). He also made the most defensive actions for his side, with 10, the next-highest being Matip (seven).

Quansah Showed Real Responsibility in Horrible Conditions

It was a performance of real responsibility from Quansah, when it could have been easy for him to allow Matip to take charge as the senior player at the back. This approach also shows Liverpool’s faith in their No. 78, with his range of passing more expansive than Matip’s and therefore better suited to the game that played out on Wednesday.

While Quansah remains fifth-choice centre-back at this stage, it would be no surprise to see him given more opportunities in the coming months. That could even come in the Premier League, rather than his regular avenues of the Europa League and League Cup, as he has proven he is capable of stepping up.

Conclusion

Jarell Quansah’s impressive performance against Bournemouth proved that his team-mates trust him and that he is capable of stepping up to the first team. His range of passing and defensive actions were key to Liverpool’s victory in horrible conditions, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him given more opportunities in the coming months.