Tyler Morton said that it was a tough test for Liverpool's much-changed side against Southampton after the Reds won 2-1 to move into the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Morton was handed a rare start on the South Coast, while 17-year-old Trey Nyoni made his full debut as Arne Slot made eight changes from the team that lined up against Fulham over the weekend.
First-half goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott put Liverpool in control and Morton spoke of the importance of taking charge of the match early on.
He told Sky Sports: "It was a tough test for us, a lot of the young lads coming in, Trey making his debut, it was lovely for everyone. I think everyone that played today was ready. The gaffer chose a different side and it was tough for us at the start and I think we gained control very early on which gave us a lot of confidence."
Morton praised Liverpool's travelling support on the night as he said that the Reds' fans gave him and the rest of the players confidence to get the job done.
"I think playing at this club with these fans gives you so much confidence," Morton said. "Even when you're down you feel like you're going to come back straight away because of the energy that they give us and the energy that we have as a team. It was a good fight from us, right until the end, people playing in different positions. It was tough for us, but it was good for us, and we're really thankful for the fans and the energy they bring."
Meanwhile, goalscorer Elliott, who was making his first start of the season after a difficult period with injury, said: "I feel like for a team that we put out there today, some of us haven't played much this season, we had really young lads, we fought as a team, and thankfully we came away with a win."