Jürgen Klopp assesses Liverpool's 3-0 win over Norwich City

Takumi Minamino’s fourth-minute opener was followed by a Caoimhin Kelleher penalty save late in the first half, before Divock Origi glanced in the Reds’ second of the night early on in the second period.

And Minamino made it 3-0 late on to seal comfortable passage into Wednesday evening’s fourth-round draw. 

Klopp made nine alterations to his starting line-up, with Kaide Gordon and Conor Bradley handed full senior debuts and fellow Academy player Tyler Morton coming on at half-time.

Read on for a transcript of the boss’ post-match press conference…

On whether it was a ‘perfect night’ for Liverpool…

No, but for good reasons. It was not possible to be a perfect day today because we had to make too many changes to have natural solutions for the problems we would have in the game. They were clear. We started really well and I liked that - really aggressive, really lively, but then you could see we didn’t train because we had to make a lot of decisions really late. The last line and the goalie saved us in these moments with speed, good challenges and stuff like that, so there was not really something in it for Norwich. We scored a goal, a really good goal again after a set-piece, a massive ball, massive. Half-time we had to change and Naby had kicked the grass, a little… sort of thing, we are not too concerned but we had to change. Then, we had Curtis in the half-space and Tyler in the six and it looked much [more] natural immediately so then the boys passed quicker, passed smarter and we changed Oxlade, a little bit higher on the pitch on the left wing, and Taki, who is obviously in really good shape, more in the centre and half-spaces so Ox could use his speed and Taki connected the game together with Tyler and Curtis. So, it was all good, we scored the second and third goals and controlled the game, which was absolutely brilliant. The kids did exceptionally well, I have to say. All three, physically really strong and that’s maybe the biggest surprise, that they could go 92 minutes. I am really happy for them, it was a big moment for the boys.

On what the two goals will do for Minamino…

It is just a logical thing. He is in a really good moment; I know he didn’t play too much, but in the wrong moment he was injured, coming back and stuff like this. It is sometimes not so easy, but he is a top character and he enjoyed the game tonight. That was important for him and important for us, so that will help him and will help us.

On whether Liverpool have proven they have enough depth in attack…

I was never in doubt about that. We said [it] before. Bobby trained yesterday, the first time, parts with the team, so it is not too far away when he will play again. We have already two midfielders out and we should make sure that number doesn’t get bigger. The start of the season so far was good for the whole squad, but it’s only the start and there is a lot more to come.

On how Minamino has been training and whether a lack of game time has been ‘frustrating’ for him recently…

I am not sure if it was frustrating. A footballer wants to play, that’s clear, and it didn’t happen too often. He was with the national team and he got injured there, came back and was not fit immediately and became fit since he is back. It is now not that he did not play for 16 weeks or whatever, it was the time after the injury. Other players need time as well to get back on track after an injury, but Taki is in a good moment, trained really well and deserved these two goals. The first one, really good awareness, quick in mind, finished the situation off. The second one I didn’t really see 100 per cent but the acceleration in the box in the short, small space was really good. He was in pre-season really good, then he started, then he got injured and now the rest of the season starts. Nobody needs to worry, Taki will be fine.

On why he switched Minamino to midfield for the second half…

We wanted him as a footballer in midfield because Taki looked really strong today. We didn’t use these half-spaces enough so we put him there. We wanted Oxlade then with a little bit more freedom on the left wing. That was the reason, just so that he can connect the game. Taki is a smart player and he can play different positions, that was the reason.

On 16-year-old Gordon’s performance…

Yes, he’s good - that’s what it says about him. He’s good. A lot of things to improve, a lot of things to settle, a lot of things to learn but there’s a lot of things already there. We are really happy to have him around and we will treat him carefully, let me say it like this. But I am really happy that he is here, he is a big talent. But Conor Bradley, the first Northern Irish player since 1954, if somebody would have told me that before then I would have brought him probably earlier! But he played a super game and Tyler really as well, I have to say. I am really happy for the boys. It was a big one for all three. The first thing Kaide said to me after the game, when I wanted to say ‘congratulations’, he said to me, ‘Thank you!’ I said, ‘Nothing to thank me for, you deserved it.’ All fine, these boys are good and thank God they are ours.