CURTIS JONES and the rest of his baby squad were at primary school the last time Liverpool won this competition.But Jones, the senior statesman among Jurgen Klopp’s younger players – he reached 50 appearances on Tuesday night – was just one of the stars who proved that this club has some proper talent coming through.
Liverpool’s young guns did the business against NorwichCredit: PA
It was only Norwich, of course, the team who are currently on course to deliver yet another lamentable top-flight season.
But man-of-the-match Jones was joined by three players all making their debuts for Klopp.
Kaide Gordon, at the ripe old age of 16, was unleashed on the Norwich defence while there were also debuts for 18-year-old right-back Conor Bradley and midfielder Tyler Morton, who came on at half-time.
But Jones’ mature performance in the heart of Klopp’s midfield – it is easy to forget he is only 20 – was the stand-out display in a comfortable win over Norwich whose embarrassing start shows no sign of improving.
Takumi Minamino dampened the spirits of the home fans with an early opener and Norwich’s Greek winger Christos Tzolis missed a penalty before half-time.
Divock Origi scored early in the second-half to end any hopes of a recovery before Minamino scored his second.
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Liverpool last won the League Cup in 2012 by beating Cardiff on penalties and since then, the competition has not been particularly kind to them.
While Klopp has moaned about this competition in the past, he will not mind it if his team keeps progressing while being able to avoid using all of his A-listers.
Klopp made nine changes from the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. While it was a young side, it was not quite like the quarter-final against Aston Villa in 2019 when Liverpool fielded the Under-23s in a 5-0 defeat as Jurgen Klopp’s first-team were in Qatar for the Club World Cup.
Gordon, aged just 16, arrived at the club in February from Derby in a £1million deal rising to £3m.
His appearance at Carrow Road guaranteed Derby another £100,000 – and they could certainly do with the cash.
Right -back Bradley, meanwhile, has played senior football for country before his club.
The 18-year-old also became the first Northern Ireland international to feature in a competitive game for Liverpool since Sammy Smyth in 1954.
It was also an emotional night for Joe Gomez who was club captain on only his second start of the season having returned from a serious knee injury sustained in training while on England duty 10 months ago.
GOAL! Norwich 0-1 Liverpool (Minamino, 4)The ball falls to Minamino in the box and he strikes under the goalkeeper from five yards out to put Liverpool in front! 📺 Watch live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event pic.twitter.com/IXfBlnls0s— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 21, 2021
Norwich switched to a back three to help bolster the defence – but that did not help much.
After just three-and-half minutes, Minamino was unmarked to shoot through Angus Gunn’s legs after Origi knocked down Kostas Tsimikas’ corner.
That certainly took the pressure off Liverpool’s two youngsters and Gordon was enjoying himself out on the right.
He came close to scoring an outstanding debut goal but, after having too much speed for Billy Gilmour while cutting inside, dragged a shot just wide of Gunn’s post.
Norwich finally woke up but Irish striker Adam Idah could only manage a tame sidefoot at Caoimhin Kelleher after Ibrahimia Konate, Liverpool’s only summer signing, made one of a few silly mistakes.
Norwich got the chance they had been working towards with a penalty after Bradley shoved Dimi Giannoulis in the back.
A £9.3m summer signing from PAOK, teenage winger Tzolis delivered an awful penalty, straight down the middle with Kelleher saving with his legs.
Tzolis had scored twice on his debut in the 6-0 thrashing of Bournemouth in the previous round.
Takumi Minamino fired Liverpool into an early leadCredit: AFP
Norwich had a chance to get back into the game from the spotCredit: PA
But Christos Tzolis saw his tame penalty savedCredit: Reuters
Curtis Jone and his fellow youngsters eased Liverpool into the next roundCredit: PA
Pierre Lees-Melou, another of Norwich’s signings in their £50m summer spree, wasted a further good chance with a poor finish.
And Norwich were made to pay for such wasteful finishing with Tsimikas crossing for Origi, who found the space between Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson to score with a header.
Both Norwich defenders looked in disbelief at each other although this has been a common theme once again at the back this season for the Canaries.
Bradley deserves credit for starting that move, which also included a clever but simple pass from Jones to the left.
Origi should have made it 3-0 a couple of minutes later but Minamino got the third with 10 minutes left by beating Gunn at his near post after being released by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
On that occasion, Teemu Pukki and Giannoulis were the culprits with yet more sloppy play.
You can see why teams currently love paying Norwich. Something has to give under Daniel Farke even though majority shareholder Delia Smith has no desire to make a change.
The team is incapable of defending against better teams even though they are too good for the Championship, having won the title twice in three years.
GOAL! Norwich 0-2 Liverpool (Origi, 50′)Divock Origi doubles Liverpool’s lead with a brilliant header! 📺 Watch live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event pic.twitter.com/5qT9SKdLsT— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 21, 2021
Ideally, Norwich, Fulham, West Brom and Watford need to create their own mini division between the Premier League and Championship.
There were plenty of jeers on the final whistle. They are not calling for Farke’s head at Carrow Road in the same way Newcastle’s fans are desperate for Steve Bruce to leave.
Despite having just signed a new four-year contract, if the defeats keep on coming, there will be a time when a new manager will have to be on the club’s menu.
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