Ryan Gravenberch Opens Goal Account for Liverpool in 2-0 Europa League Victory Over Union Saint-Gilloise, Garnering Praise from Manager Jurgen Klopp. The 21-Year-Old, Signed from Bayern Munich in the Summer, Has Also Contributed with Two Assists. Klopp Applauds the Midfielder as a ‘Fantastic Character’ and Describes Him as ‘Exceptional’.
Jurgen Klopp lavished Ryan Gravenberch with praise after the midfielder scored his first goal for Liverpool in the 2-0 UEFA Europa League win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
A summer signing from Bayern Munich, Gravenberch has had to remain patient for a starting berth in Liverpool’s first XI, but he staked his claim on Thursday as the Reds made it two wins from two in Group E.
A goal capped a fine display from the 21-year-old and will surely give Klopp a selection headache for Sunday’s Premier League game with Brighton.
“He is a top bloke and I am really happy for him,” Klopp told TNT Sports.
“His time at Bayern was not the worst in the world, but now he can get rhythm and you see that when he is on the ball, when we can bring him in the right spaces, he is really incredible.
“It wasn’t the most difficult goal he scored in his life but maybe one of the most important because it’s his first of a lot, hopefully. Everybody is really pleased for him.
“A goal is a goal, they all count the same.”
Turning to his side’s overall performance, Klopp admitted it was far from a vintage display but he was still pleased with some aspects.
He stated: “It was a really good start. We lost the rhythm slightly, gave too many set-pieces away…played too much around the formation and in the formation.
“We should have had more direction but you take what you get in these moments. I thought it was really mature and professional but we could have been better.
He added, “Getting the job done is crucial too. You can’t always rely on excitement to win. There’s plenty to learn from this match.”
Liverpool’s upcoming UEFA Europa League match is scheduled to take place at Anfield against Toulouse on October 26th.