Liverpool has found its own Bukayo Saka or Marcus Rashford as latest wonderkid emerges
The simple objective in football is to dominate 100 percent of the time, despite the impossibility of achieving this.
Once a team reaches the pinnacle of a sport by acquiring significant trophies, its fans anticipate that it will remain there by winning repeatedly.
As Manchester United legend Alex Ferguson once stated, football tends to run in cycles, with different teams experiencing what it’s like to reach the top at different times. In many ways, it is almost a case of taking turns.
Over the past five years, Liverpool has enjoyed a prosperous life at the pinnacle. Under Jürgen Klopp, the Reds conquered the world by winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Club World Cup, and Super Cup.
As Liverpool flourished, teams such as Arsenal and Manchester United struggled, frequently being forced to compete in the Europa League as they struggled to make long-overdue improvements on the field.
Supporters dread and despise these times, but often, they provide opportunities for promising talents to seize the spotlight and demonstrate their mettle.
The adage “pressure makes diamonds” holds true for the once-dominant Arsenal and Manchester United in recent years, as youngsters have emerged from times of difficulty.
Marcus Rashford, for instance, was given a chance by Louis van Gaal all those years ago because the Red Devils could not maintain consistency on the field.
Rashford rose to the occasion and instilled new vigor at Old Trafford, outperforming more seasoned players such as Angel Di Mara, Radamel Falcao, and others who struggled to shine in Manchester.
At the Emirates, Arsenal’s offensive struggles provided opportunities for Bukayo Saka to shine, and he is now regarded as one of Mikel Arteta’s key pillars.
Rashford and Saka are both thriving on the field this season, and their respective teams are thriving. The progression of the English duo is pertinent when assessing the situation at Anfield this season, as for the first time during Klopp’s tenure it appears Liverpool has regressed.
Players have aged and moved past their peak performance years, and it appears the Reds are in need of a new midfielder, with Jude Bellingham rumored to be moving this summer.
Liverpool is currently ninth in the Premier League table, and they have essentially swapped places with Arsenal and Manchester United, but Klopp may have found his own Rashford or Saka as a result.
On Monday night, Anfield hosted Everton, and Stefan Bajčetić replaced Thiago Alcantara as the team’s left-sided number eight, starting in the center of the park.
Since the conclusion of the World Cup in December, he has made a number of appearances, but this performance provided a glimpse of what he could become in a red shirt.
Would Bajčetić have received the same amount of playing time recently if Liverpool had been contending for the Premier League title? Considering the club’s demand for success, it seems unlikely.
The teen starlet has a long way to go, but with each passing week, he is becoming more and more of a gem. In the coming months, Klopp will lead the Reds out of their difficult patch, and when he does, he may have the newest wonderkid by his side.
Liverpool has found its own Bukayo Saka or Marcus Rashford as latest wonderkid emerges
