The burgeoning Liverpool career of Jarell Quansah had been progressing almost as serenely as one of the defender's increasingly trademark composed performances. And then it happened.

A loose pass infield rolled straight into the path of Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes who. some 45 yards from goal, swiftly floated a shot over the head of Caoimhin Kelleher into the unguarded net.

Having been deservedly ahead at Old Trafford, Liverpool were needlessly pegged back and eventually needed a late Mohamed Salah penalty to snatch a draw, a result that prevented them returning to the top of the Premier League table.

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That was a month ago and Jurgen Klopp's side haven't been back on the summit since, now realistically having little to play during the closing fortnight of the manager's long reign with the title now effectively out of reach and Champions League qualification assured.

For Quansah, it was a chastening experience. But his performance in the immediate aftermath and subsequent games highlights the steely resolve and mentality that has been evident throughout his debut campaign for the Reds.

"When I was a younger I used to struggle when I made a mistake and sort of go under and stuff like that," he says. "Over the past few years - other than my (loan) spell at Bristol Rovers - I didn't get tested too much in the Academy, so I wasn't used to making big errors.

"So in such a big game obviously I made that error but I've got to take the positives from it, such as the way I bounced back from it and managed to play (the final) 40 minutes without putting a foot wrong and helping with a goal. I didn't go under, and in probably one of the hardest stadiums you can go to in a such a big game.

"Everyone makes mistakes and it is just about how you deal with them. I had skip (Virgil van Dijk) next to me and obviously he was in my ear, but a lot of players can say a lot of things in those moments - it’s how you deal with it yourself, ultimately.”

With question marks over fitness of Van Dijk and form of Ibrahima Konate, Quansah is likely to make a 31st appearance of the season for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon. It has been some journey for the 21-year-old, who this time last year was on loan at Bristol Rovers in League One.

When asked to consider if he could have imagined the last 12 months, Quansah can only laugh. "It's hard to say as you know football can be up and down and you never know what really is going to happen," he says to the ECHO, among a group of journalists invited to talk to the defender. . "I can't say I was expecting but at the end of the day I'm not going to say I wasn't."

Quansah had impressed during pre-season trips to Germany and Singapore before making the bench for the Premier League game at Newcastle United back in August. An early red card for Van Dijk sparked a remarkable match where Liverpool came from behind to win thanks to substitute Darwin Nunez's late double. And it was when the Reds were still 1-0 down that Quansah, with 13 minutes remaining, was thrown into the fray for his debut.

"Virg was sent off and after that, I didn't expect to be brought on," admits the defender. "But I did have in the back of my mind that I had to be ready and that's probably where a bit of nerves starting kicking in when I was sat on the bench in the first half. But after half-time I was ready. If the opportunity came, I was happy to take it and see what I could do. We were in a losing position when I came on and we weren't expected to win the game with 10 men, so I'm grateful of the way it went on the day."

Mind you, Quansah had already been given a taste of unwelcoming venues when featuring for England last summer during the Under-20 World Cup in a very hostile Argentina.

"This season I've played in a lot of big games and big stadiums, but honestly, that was definitely up there with the most hostile I've ever seen," he says. "There were no England fans and 55,000 Argentinians screaming and Uruguayans screaming. That was a crazy experience. Looking back, it probably helped me this season."

While Van Dijk has offered continued assistance both on and off the pitch for Quansah, other inspiration comes from following the path of those before him. Having been at the Academy since the age of five, the defender is now team-mates with fellow graduates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones.

"The Academy do that really well," says Quansah when asked about the pathway made available from the youth ranks to the first team. "Trent is always in contact with the Academy and Curt always comes down as well. Curt isn't much older than me so he wasn't down there as much when I was coming through, but Trent came down a lot.

"We had meetings with him and he showed us his journey to the first team and what he had to do and what to be prepared for. Seeing what he has done and how he has progressed into one of the best players in the world, it has definitely opened eyes to myself and a lot of youngsters about what is possible."

While Liverpool perhaps aren't quite ready to celebrate a top-four finish - "it's a good thing looking forward to next season, but we're just gutted we couldn't push for the title,” says Quansah - minds are already drifting towards the new campaign, with incoming manager Arne Slot representing a new man for the youngster to impress.

“From when you are young, you are just trying to play for contracts and trying to stay for as long as you can - that has always been my aim," he says. "Managers come and go, there are not really loads that stay 20-plus years, especially in my lifetime. It is about impressing managers and that is what the life of a footballer is."

And Quansah is adamant the work done by the current manager in starting to build a new squad - the centre-back was one of four starters in last weekend's 2-2 draw at West Ham United who hadn't played for Liverpool before this season - means they can avoid a post-Klopp hangover.

"I’ve only been around the group recently, but from what I’ve seen the gaffer has done a great job in building that foundation," he says. "The dressing room is full of winners and people who want to win. We won this year (the League Cup) and from there we are in a different place to a number of of other teams.

"We will always be a club who want to challenge for the league title and other trophies and definitely the Champions League. We have a strong group still and it will get stronger the longer we are together.”

And after such an encouraging first season, few would expect Quansah to not be part of the next era at Liverpool.