Liverpool won the EFL Cup in the 120th minute, where the Reds had 11 players on the pitch, including 19-year-old Bobichler, 19-year-old McGuinness, 21-year-old Quinza, 18-year-old Danns and 20-year-old Javier Ariello. The youth-trained Red Boys eventually overpowered the hundreds of millions of Chelsea's army, realizing the Cup's fairy tale.
Liverpool's lack of manpower, coupled with an injury-ridden squad, has led to Gopp's bold use of newcomers this season. 18 players aged 23 or below have started for Liverpool this season, with 10 players aged 23 or below in this final, and 8 from Liverpool's youth set-up. I'm proud of Liverpool's youth development," said Kopp after the game. "I think the team needs new strength (in overtime), and age is not a factor for me," he said. The growth of these newcomers has been phenomenal, and I've loved them since the first session."
Gopp, who will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, admits that promoting youth stars is more satisfying than acquiring them at a high price: "I know the fans are excited about the club acquiring stars, but I'm sure they'll be even more excited to see Liverpool's youth players become stars!
