Arne Slot has praised Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah for rediscovering his best form after a challenging period earlier in the season.
The young centre-back was on the bench for Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Wolves at Anfield but entered the game at halftime.
With Ibrahima Konate picking up an early yellow card and flirting with a second, Slot opted to bring in Quansah to shore up the defense.
Although Liverpool didn’t manage a clean sheet, Slot was highly impressed with Quansah’s performance, as well as his steady improvement in both matches and training.
The 22-year-old has only started two Premier League games this season, including the opening fixture, where he was subbed off at halftime. Slot acknowledged that the early setback affected Quansah but believes he has now regained his confidence.
“I think all the boys showed great character and mentality in the second half,” Slot said in his post-match press conference. “But I think everybody has already seen recently because he’s played a few games that he’s been doing really well.
“I see in training that he’s back to being the same Jarell we saw in pre-season. He had a tough time after being taken off at Ipswich, and the first few games after that were a bit of a struggle.
“But now, he’s showing his quality again, both in training and when he plays. Today was another example of how important he is, just like Wataru Endo.
“If you want to achieve something, of course, you need goals from Mo and Luca, but you also need players like Jarell who step up when called upon.”
Liverpool looked set for a comfortable win after first-half goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. However, Matheus Cunha pulled one back in the 67th minute, making for a tense finish.
Despite securing three points, Slot noted that the squad felt deflated afterward, feeling they hadn’t performed at their best.
“When the players came in, they looked a bit down, maybe because it wasn’t our best performance,” Slot admitted. “That probably shows how high our standards have been this season.
“I told them this win might be an even bigger accomplishment than the 4-0 against Tottenham. If you want to achieve something, good football is key, but mentality wins difficult games.
“That’s why I was so frustrated after the Everton match. The boys fought hard and deserved a result, but we didn’t get it. Today, we did.”
With Quansah back in top form, Slot will be hoping his young defender can play a crucial role in Liverpool’s push for success.