FA Cup pundit nailed it with this verdict on Liverpool star's performance vs Man Utd

Liverpool's dream of giving Jurgen Klopp a quadruple-winning final season at Anfield ended on Sunday when arch rivals Manchester United knocked them out of the FA Cup. It was a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford that wasn't short of drama as the clash was forced into extra time following an 87th minute equaliser from substitute Antony.

After 120 minutes, five goals and huge noise from the crowd, United went from being 2-1 down to emerging as 4-3 winners. A 105th minute goal from Harvey Elliott looked sure to see Liverpool into the semi-finals but Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo both struck to send their rivals crashing out of the competition.

It was an extremely tough pill for Liverpool to swallow. Not only are they out of the FA Cup but to lose under such circumstances, at the hands of one of their biggest long-standing rivals is a big blow for the team. However, exiting the FA Cup does not mean the Reds' season has come to a grinding halt, they still have a tough Premier League fight on their hands and will soon face Atalanta in their European run as well.

Of course, being involved in so many potential trophy pursuits can take its toll on teams, and Liverpool have also been dealt a tough hand of cards when it comes to injuries. For a large chunk of this season, Klopp has been without key players including Andy Robertson, Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold — the latter two are both still currently sidelined and have been absent since February.

Liverpool's defence has been the weakest point this season, and that has nothing to do with quality. Klopp's options were stretched worryingly thin when all three senior full-backs were sidelined during the same period, forcing the boss to deploy Joe Gomez out of position and launch Conor Bradley's regular starting involvement in the team.

Joël Matip has also been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury back in December, and may well have played his final game for the Reds. With seriously limited cover for the backline, youngsters Bradley and Jarell Quansah have stepped up to the plate. Other rising stars like Jayden Danns and Bobby Clark have also had their opportunities to shine, putting themselves firmly on the radar ready for whoever comes in to replace Klopp at the end of the season.

Bradley has stolen a lot of the headlines this season but Quansah is another who is earning rightful praise. Despite Liverpool's loss against Man United, a key takeaway for pundit Lee Dixon was the 21-year-old's solid performance at the back in the FA Cup.

"He’s so good on the ball, isn’t he? Looks like he’s been there forever," he said during ITV's coverage of the quarter-final. "Mind you, playing alongside [Virgil] van Dijk helps as well, I must say. He reads the game well, as well. He’s got that knack of being able to sniff out danger."

Last summer, Liverpool's primary focus on the transfer market was restructuring their midfield following the exit of five senior players. Despite looking to also add new defenders to the roster, the club had to put a pin in it as they focused on replacing the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho.

It has been reported in recent months that Klopp was looking to sign someone to eventually replace van Dijk at the heart of the defence. While it's highly likely Liverpool will spend some cash on a new centre-back this summer, having the ever-improving Quansah on the roster is a huge boost in itself.

You'd be forgiven for forgetting that the 21-year-old only made his Liverpool debut this season, when he came on to replace Matip for the last 13 minutes of their Premier League clash against Newcastle United. Since then, Quansah has appeared 26 times this term across every competition and he started every match in the FA Cup.

Quansah played the full 120 minutes against United and completed more passes than anyone else on the pitch. He also contributed six clearances, three interceptions and made nine passes into the final third, according to FotMob. His passing is certainly one of his strongest qualities and his composure against some of the most intimidating opponents only further showcases his rapid rise into a professional player.

In his debut professional season, Quansah has come up against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea and he has not looked out of place during these blockbuster encounters. Klopp has made a name for himself at Anfield for taking a chance on the younger players and as he prepares to depart, Quansah must surely take comfort knowing he has done enough already to catch the attention of any new manager and stake his claim as a worthy starter for Liverpool moving forwards.