Joe Cole: Only UEFA Europa League triumph can be deemed a success for Liverpool - 'They are massive favourites'

Joe Cole claims that only winning the UEFA Europa League this season will be deemed a success for Liverpool.

The former Liverpool and Chelsea forward also believes the tournament will give Jurgen Klopp a good chance to analyse some of the club's next generation of stars.

The Reds are one of the strongest sides in the tournament and prior to Thursday's match against Toulouse, had won all of their three matches in Group E.

“Liverpool don’t want to be in the Europa League. They want to be in the Champions League,” Cole told TNT Sports.

“Last year was a massive transition and they’re coming out of that now and they’re massive favourites to win it.”

He added: “Listen, I don’t think anything other than winning this competition is success for Liverpool. They’ve got by far the strongest squad in it.

“And come March, April, when they’re still in it, it depends on where they are if in terms of going for the Premier League - they’ll start really putting out a strong squad in this competition and they’ll go close.”

So far, Klopp has opted to rotate his squad, playing several of his younger stars in the midweek competition, with Ryan Gravenberch being a standout.

Cole believes this has allowed Klopp to showcase the next generation of young stars rising through the ranks at Anfield.

“They’ve cruised so far through the group stage. It allows Jurgen [Klopp] to have a look at certain players.

“We could look at Ben Doak. He might stake a claim for a place for their side. You know [Kostas] Tsimikas, another game for him at left-back to get accustomed to his role with [Andrew] Robertson being out.

“Liverpool are in a fantastic position. The squad are strong.

“I’m looking forward to [Jarell] Quansah playing at the back. Another young player. We watched him make his debut at Wolves a few weeks back. He had a fantastic game he really did.

“This is the emergence of the next generation and what they can achieve.”

Cole singled out midfielder Alexis Mac Allister as one such player who excites him the most.

Before moving to Merseyside in the summer, the 24-year-old enjoyed a fantastic 2022-23 season, returning 12 goals for Brighton, before proving instrumental in helping Argentina lift the World Cup in Qatar.

“I watched him at Brighton last year and I was always impressed. I watched him at the World Cup last year for Argentina and, after the main man Lionel Messi, I thought he was the most impressive player in that tournament.

“He was so good playing further forward. He’s gone to Liverpool, he’s played there sometimes but he’s done this dual role where he’s been a bit of a dictator."

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