Jurgen Klopp Hails Gabriel Martinelli as Talent of the Century After Thrilling Carabao Cup Clash

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp singled out Gabriel Martinelli for praise after their enthralling 5-5 draw with Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.

The Reds went on to win 5-4 on penalties, but only after one of the games of the season had unfolded in normal time at Anfield

Martinelli grabbed a brace for Arsenal, taking him to seven goals in just four starts for the Gunners this season. The Brazilian is now the top scoring teenager in Europe's top five leagues, and Klopp reserved praise for the young forward.

"Martinelli’s pretty much the same age [as a number of Liverpool players who featured] but he’s a talent of the century, he’s an incredible striker," Klopp told ​Liverpool's official website.

There was a high volume of promising young starlets and academy graduates on display for both clubs, which only added to the excitement of the tie.

​Liverpool's team had an average age of 23 years and 122 days, while Unai Emery blooded 18-year-olds Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, alongside 20 year-old Joe Willock. 

Klopp opted to leave a number of his key senior players out of the squad, and replaced them with five teenagers: Sepp Van den Berg, Harvey Elliott, Rhian Brewster, Neco Williams and Caoimhín Kelleher, with 18 year-old Curtis Jones coming off the bench to score the winning penalty for the Reds.

The ​Liverpool manager was full of praise for the youngsters making their first Anfield appearances. 

“The kids showing up like crazy and I’m so pleased for them that they have a first Anfield experience like that," Klopp said.

"With all the emotions when you saw the faces, the face of Caoimhin Kelleher when he saved the penalty, of Curtis Jones when he scored the penalty. How everybody ran to Neco Williams when he crossed the ball to Div [Origi], all these things are just so nice. It’s so nice.

“When I saw in front of me the fighting spirit of Rhian Brewster, when he won the ball like four times back, and we go out there and the next moment we score a goal. These are so important moments for these kids, of course, but for all the other LFC kids as well."