Klopp could now unleash teen “machine” alongside Gordon

Liverpool should be emboldened that while Saturday evening’s shattering defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League has resulted in an injury to the in-form Cody Gakpo and suspensions to Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, the rekindled verve and vitality is there for all to see.

What’s also pleasing is that the Anfield side boasts a wealth of academy talent that eclipses anything the club has been seen in recent years, with such exciting options offering a different approach for manager Jurgen Klopp, should he need it.

And use it he has; last season, with Liverpool suffering an incredible depletion of form and fluidity, a young Stefan Bajcetic was brought into the senior fold to aid the beleaguered Reds in their efforts, and he shone as the brightest spark in a midfield that was languishing heavily below expectations.

Hailed for his “exceptional” rise to prominence by Klopp last season, the 18-year-old Spaniard is but one example of the rich crop of precocity just waiting for a chance to impress on the major stage.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the obvious example, having been promoted to Liverpool’s vice-captain in the summer and praised as “world-class” by former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves.

The aforementioned Jones has also enjoyed an impressive rise over the past year, while Ben Doak, aged 17, has currently made eight senior showings in age-belying fashion, and has been proclaimed to be a ‘Scottish Wayne Rooney‘ by his agent Jackie McNamara due to his small yet strong stature and innate physicality.

Some remarkable talent, and all names starting to make themselves known on the major stage, but perhaps one of Liverpool’s most prodigious youngsters is yet to become known to the masses.

Oakley Cannonier, goalscoring sensation, has recently returned from injury and is looking to continue his ascent to prominence after demonstrating such a sharp cutting edge in the earliest phase of his youth career.

Who is Oakley Cannonier?

Cannonier’s progress beneath the surface at Liverpool has seen him be hindered by a long-term injury that has ruled him out of contention for much of the past year.

The aptly-named Cannonier has been firing the strikes home with vicious regularity at youth level, scoring 44 goals and supplying five assists from only 60 appearances for the Reds’ respective development sides, heralded as a “goal machine” by prominent Liverpool reporter Neil Jones for his efforts.

The 19-year-old forward exhibited his prolific abilities last term with a flourish, scoring ten times from only 12 outings during a term that was hampered by injury – including seven goals from only four matches in the UEFA Youth League.

Last month, the striker returned to action with a resounding hat-trick in a friendly against Hull City after indeed spending ten months on the sidelines, and will now surely be viewed as one to keep an eye on as he continues to build back the form that left the likes of The Athletic’s James Pearce describing him as “outstanding.”

An out-and-out centre-forward, Cannonier will indeed be hoping that he could find his name on the senior team sheet this season for the first time, perhaps linking up with academy peer Kaide Gordon, who is looking to pick up where he left off under Klopp’s wing after battling his own long-term absence.

How good is Kaide Gordon?

It’s perhaps a testament to Gordon’s prodigious skill set that he is still only 18-years-old (for a few more days) and has already forged four senior showings under Klopp’s stewardship and netted his maiden goal – and that’s despite spending the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign on the sidelines with a long-term injury.

Once described as “exceptional” by his manager, Gordon thrived for Liverpool’s development squad after signing from Derby County for a reported fee of £3m as a 16-year-old, posting 12 goals and five assists across all competitions.

The one-cap England U21 international is capable of thriving across both offensive flanks and boasts skill, speed and guile in abundance.

Already demonstrating his ability to provide both incisive and creative danger, the Merseyside outfit’s second-youngest-ever goalscorer would work seamlessly in tandem with Cannonier, providing the all-encompassing attacking threat as the focal frontman.

With both Gordon and Cannonier sharing an unfortunate spell on the sidelines with long-term injuries despite remaining pleasingly ensconced in the maiden stage of their professional career, with ample time to grow into their skin, they can both prove to be the first-rate phenoms Klopp and Liverpool crave for in the future.

As mentioned earlier, Liverpool’s rise since that fateful day when Klopp graced the Merseyside club as manager for the first time has done more than just improve the first-team squad.

Liverpool, as a footballing institution, has been comprehensively rejuvenated, the stains of a miserable period in the club’s history wiped away, and sustained success is now stitched into the fabric of the outfit once again.

As such, youth players are now held in a higher regard. The investment is felt. Gordon and Cannonier are but two of the teenage sensations pushing for a place on the Premier League pitch soon, and given the immense quality brimming from each, there is every possibility that both earn a shot to cement their berth soon enough.