The post-match chatter, once again, carried a familiar refrain. No Liverpool game takes place these days without the midfield being discussed and so it proved after Bournemouth’s blitzing.
This time, though, there was a twist. Rather than attracting scrutiny and criticism, talk about Jurgen Klopp’s engine room revolved around the fearlessness and enthusiasm that characterised the performances of two dashing tyros.
Harvey Elliott, with his corkscrew curls and his sweet left foot, has long been at the forefront of Klopp’s mind.
Harvey Elliott impressed in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield as Liverpool thrashed Bournemouth 9-0
The two youngsters have stepped up in the absence of star playmaker Thiago in recent weeks
At the end of last season, Liverpool’s manager chided himself and said it was ‘a crime’ that he had been unable to give the 19-year-old more chances.
Opportunity has knocked this campaign and Elliott has been in the right place to profit, standing out impressively from the moment Klopp introduced him from the bench on the opening day at Fulham.
He is inventive, determined and fearless, like all the best youngsters.
The 19-year-old playmaker scored his first Reds goal of the season in the sixth minute
Those words, however, fit equally alongside Fabio Carvalho, who turns 20 on Monday and started the celebrations early by thrashing in his first Liverpool goal — the eighth in a contest that almost required an abacus — to maintain the outstanding impression he has created since leaving Fulham for Anfield.
His joy at joining Elliott, who swept in Liverpool’s second with a beautifully crisp strike, on the list of scorers, having replaced him at half-time, was unconfined and thrilled their manager, as did the rejuvenated Roberto Firmino and electric Luis Diaz, both of whom doubled up.
Reports emerging from training about Elliott and Carvalho have been glowing all summer and Virgil van Dijk, goalscorer number five on a day that remarkably passed without Mo Salah joining the party, was only too happy to confirm the positive impression they have made.
‘You need that maturity,’ said Van Dijk, who gave the impression that he has been stung by some of the criticism that has come his way. ‘Especially when things are not going well like in the last two weeks, these guys have the right mentality that we need. They showed it here.
Fabio Carvalho also took his chance following the injury of Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara
‘Harvey was good against Manchester United, Fabio came on and played very well too. They will have moments, good moments, but they will have moments they have to learn from. That’s how football works. We are not robots.’
There will, of course, be bumps in the road to come but Klopp is not the kind to overlook them at the first sign of discomfort and this is why the debate about whether he will sign another midfielder before Thursday’s deadline is so complex.
Klopp says he would like to bring someone in and, looking at his bench against Bournemouth, you could see why — players such as Bobby Clark, Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Davies would normally only expect to play in Carabao Cup matches.
Clark, a 17-year-old from Epsom who replaced another scorer in Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Bajcetic, an 18-year-old from Spain, made their debuts and were involved as Liverpool pursued what would have been a club and Premier League record-breaking tenth goal. Klopp could not have wished for better circumstances to introduce them.
The Reds youngster scored his first goal of the season since his summer move from Fulham
But what would have happened if Liverpool had been chasing a deficit? They were lucky that Bournemouth were so flimsy and abject, leaving manager Scott Parker looking like he had seen a ghost on what he called the worst day of his career.
Liverpool’s injury situation is not going to change too dramatically before Wednesday’s visit of Newcastle, so Klopp would be delighted if he had another experienced option. But he is not going to bring anyone in just to boost the numbers.
He is not going to sign anyone that will be a barrier to Elliott — whose father, Scott, celebrated his goal by launching his white jacket into the air in the Main Stand — or Carvalho as they have shown they are Liverpool’s future. What Parker would do to have such options.
Virgil van Dijk admitted he was ‘very impressed’ with both of Liverpool’s young midfielders
‘The amount of games we play, we need a lot of midfielders,’ said Van Dijk. ‘Midfielders are the engine of our team, they win so many balls for us. You see the amount of games we play, we rotate a lot in midfield, apart from Fabinho. We need everyone.
‘I’m very impressed with both of them. Harvey showed before his injury (last season) and now he’s showing the same stuff as before. I’ve been impressed with Fabio as well. I didn’t know him before he came but I think he can be really good for us as a club as well.’
One aspect that was certainly ‘really good’ was the invigorating nature of the result, Anfield’s most comprehensive since they beat Crystal Palace by the same score in September 1989.
Those looking for coincidences will note Liverpool finished that season as champions.
Klopp, on the other hand, will not be looking any further forward than Newcastle. Nor, for that matter, will the hungry Elliott and Carvalho.
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