'In a great place': Vigil van Dijk says Liverpool have a 'fantastic young player' coming through now

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Liverpool showed a little of their famed squad depth during a routine win over Lille on Tuesday.

With a busy fixture schedule in progress, the Reds rotated a number of key players out of the team for their midweek Champions League game.

As he usually is when Liverpool play in the Champions League, though, Virgil van Dijk was kept in the starting line-up.

But rather than be joined by his usual partner, Ibrahima Konate, Van Dijk was paired with young Jarell Quansah, in for his first ever start in Europe’s premier club competition.

Quansah has had a difficult season under Arne Slot, being largely reduced to starts in domestic cup competitions.

But after seeing Quansah put in a much better display against Lille, Van Dijk was keen to add some context to the 21-year-old’s relative struggles.

Virgil van Dijk hails Jarell Quansah performance

It isn’t as though Quansah has not played at all for Liverpool this season. Tuesday’s game was his 12th appearance under Arne Slot and his eighth start.

For a 21-year-old playing in just his second senior campaign with the Reds, that is not bad at all.

However, Quansah had become used to playing a bigger part under Jurgen Klopp, where his tally of 33 appearances is unlikely to be bettered this term.

Despite his re-casting as more of a squad player, though, Van Dijk believes that Quansah is still firmly on the right path at Liverpool.

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“It's a season where Jarell can learn each and every day,” the captain says via The Athletic. “He's a fantastic young player and can only get better.

“He's in a great place to learn and when he gets the opportunity to play, like tonight, he just has to show his qualities and play with confidence. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because we all make mistakes. He did well.”

Quansah ready for bigger role

Although it has been a frustrating start to life under Slot for Quansah, there are still real positives to be taken here.

Things were going smoothly last season, but that was unlikely to stay the same throughout the centre-back’s career. It’s important to hurdle some adversity especially as a young player.

If his performance on Tuesday is anything to go by, then Quansah has seemingly come through the other side of that intact. That will serve him well.

With Joe Gomez expected to miss a chunk of football still and Ibrahima Konate not quite fully fit, Slot is going to have to lean on Quansah a little more than he has so far this year.

The best is still to come from Jarell and having a player like Van Dijk alongside him is going to help him find another level.