Despite continuing to win against Wolves, Liverpool still has room to improve.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were defeated 3-1 by Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, but the outcome may have been very different if the hosts had taken use of their opportunities in the opening period.

The Wolves took advantage of the Reds’ early sluggishness and lethargy by launching a barrage of raids, lead by the unstoppable Pedro Neto, who produced a beautiful cross for Hwang Hee-chan to score within of seven minutes.

The Portuguese player ought to have a second assist to his credit, but Matheus Cunha was unable to finish off a dangerous delivery.

The Brazilian missed a great chance to extend their lead, giving Liverpool hope. However, Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp’s substitutions Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott, and Darwin Nez made a significant difference and inspired a comeback in the second half.

While the trio kept the attention focused on their contributions as subs, teenager Jarell Quansah quietly slipped under the radar and excelled in his complete debut.

How did Jarell Quansah fare in the Wolf match?

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On Saturday, Quansah became the most recent prodigy to emerge from the Liverpool academy, following in the recent footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, and Stefan Bajcetic.

The 20-year-old was inserted into a replacement back line for Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, and while some young players might have buckled under the strain, Quansah shone like a diamond in the rough, particularly in the first half as Liverpool’s disjointed defense was forced to fend off a barrage of Wolves attacks.

Given the circumstances, this was the youngster’s “baptism of fire,” and he impressed especially after Wolves seized the lead.

The Englishman did pretty well, I have to say,” Klopp commented in response to his performance. He was decent.

“He was cool while in possession as well. With the organization in the first half, it felt as though we had just met in the parking lot before the game. But he performed incredibly well.

Quansah made 91 touches, recorded a 96% pass completion percentage, and successfully placed all three of his attempted long balls, according to Sofascore, despite the German waxing poetic about his prowess in possession.

The defensive skills of Quansah were also excellent. He made three tackles, two interceptions, and only let a single dribble past him while winning three of his four ground battles.

Joe Cole said of the young defender after this performance: “He looked like he’d played for decades in Liverpool’s first team.” The kid defender received high accolades for how he handled himself despite his young age.

Quansah is the newest star to emerge from Melwood, hailed as “absolutely phenomenal” by fellow academy alum Alexander-Arnold, but he isn’t the only player to have recently made the transition to the Reds senior setup.

18-year-old Bajcetic, who was pushed into the spotlight last season, had a greater impact than Quansah.

Stefan Bajcetic’s talent level?

Bajcetic, a destructive and aggressive defensive midfielder who has been dubbed “special” by journalist Zubin Daver, stepped up last season and did an exceptional job of screening the Reds backline.

The 6-foot-1 titan made an impression with his aggressive nature, ability to regain possession, and ability to propel his team forward quickly. According to FBref, when compared to players in the same position in the Premier League last season, he placed in the top 7% for dribblers tackled, top 12% for interceptions, top 13% for aerials won, and top 28% for ball recoveries.

Liverpool hasn’t had a dangerous player in the middle of the park to shield their defense, successfully break up play, and purposefully push them up the field throughout this entire season.

Wataru Endo was hired by the team to fill that position, but the Japanese international is still getting used to English football and hasn’t played much since their 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

Alexis Mac Allister has been substituted for Endo by Klopp in the deep-lying playmaker position, but this decision has left the Reds vulnerable to counterattacks because the Argentine is prone to being caught upfield.

Having said that, Bajcetic is the fierce, tough-tackling, and aggressive midfielder that Liverpool have lost in their engine room, as shown by his 15 appearances for the team last season.

Teammate Salah supported this claim by praising the adolescent after his outstanding performance in the Merseyside derby in February, saying: “Since he started playing for us, he has been our best player maybe so hopefully he keeps that confidence and keeps going.”

Salah’s declaration of him as their finest player during that time indicates how highly esteemed he is at the club, as did his continued inclusion in the team before becoming injured.

Prior to getting hurt, Bajcetic had a significant influence for Liverpool, and if Klopp unleashes him once more, he might help them find a solution to their present midfield dilemma and demonstrate why he is a better player than Quansah.