Quansah praises Liverpool trio for helping him to become a better player | OneFootball

Liverpool youngster Jarrell Quansah praised the defensive trio of Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate and says he wants to emulate all three of them.

Quansah made his first Champions League start on Tuesday in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Lille, helping his side progress straight to the knock-out stages with a game to spare.

The 21-year-old broke into the Liverpool first-team under former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and has played 12 times in all competitions under Arne Slot this season.

He has faced stiff competition for a starting place in the back line with Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate – but Quansah says all three are helping him to become a better player.

“If I take a little bit of all of their games it will put me in great stead and just having the belief that I’m able to do that as well is a good thing,” he explained.

“I think it’s not just the qualities and the abilities they have on the pitch, it’s what they do off the pitch as well. Just keeping me sort of hungry and wanting to keep pushing for whatever it may be.

“I’m just keeping me sort of hungry and wanting to keep pushing for whatever it may be and I’m just happy that they’re willing to invest time into me as well.”

Quansah has endured some ups and downs this season but returned to form in the win over Lille and says he wants to stay level headed in order to improve.

“I’ve not changed anything,” he said. “I’m always looking at my game, it’s not just when I play well or when I play badly, I’m always looking, and I’m always trying to improve.

“I’m not going to be the finished article yet. If I play badly, I’m not going to criticise myself more. I’m my harshest critic, I’ve always said that. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing good or bad, I’m always going to criticise myself.

“I think when I play my best games, that’s when I’ve been the harshest on myself.