Despite being table-toppers for long periods of the campaign, the young Reds fell just short of securing the title, with Arsenal's recent win over West Ham United seeing them crowned champions.
With the likes of Harry Wilson, Matty Virtue, Ovie Ejaria and Corey Whelan going out on loan and Rhian Brewster’s season brought to an early close due to injury, Critchley has been forced to field a much-changed line-up since January.
However, despite the setbacks they have faced, three points against Chelsea tomorrow evening would see Liverpool’s youngsters secure second spot.
Tuesday’s clash with the west London club will be shown live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO, with our coverage starting at 6.30pm BST.
Read on for Critchley’s thoughts on Tuesday night’s Premier League 2 fixture...
On Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Woodburn celebrating with the travelling Kop after the Champions League semi-final with AS Roma…
It is special to see boys who have been at the Academy since such a young age to be celebrating together on the pitch in front of the supporters at the end. It gives you such a good feeling inside to see two really good players - and good boys as well - having that type of experience, it was unbelievable for them. Hopefully we will go and finish the job off now.
On the prospect of his former U18s captain Alexander-Arnold potentially starting the Champions League final against Real Madrid...
It’s incredible! For a young boy at 19 to play and prove himself in such big games on the big stage, you have to give so much credit to our manager for giving him that opportunity but also Trent for earning that trust. Hopefully, fingers crossed, he now has a chance of starting in the Champions League final. It’s amazing isn’t it? Absolutely amazing.
On the likes of Conor Masterson, Curtis Jones and Rafael Camacho being around the squad for the Champions League semi-final…
For them to be in and around that type of occasion is invaluable experience. I haven’t had the chance yet to catch up with them but when I do I’ll be asking them what they have taken from it, because if they are bright and clever and quick learners they will pick things up and they need to pick things up. They are not there as tourists or holidaymakers, they are there to do a job. It was great for them to be involved but they’ve not achieved anything yet. They have got a long way to go and a lot of things to learn and to improve upon. Hopefully they will benefit from the experience.
On losing out to Arsenal in the Premier League 2 title race…
Unfortunately, West Ham couldn't do us a favour the other week. It would have been nice going into this final game having the league to play for but it wasn’t to be. But any time we play at Anfield it’s always a special occasion because it’s not every week we get the chance to play there. We will be playing against a team who have fantastic players and a great record at youth level, so we’ll be looking to give a good account of ourselves and try and win the game and finish second in the league, which I think would be deserved.
On why loans are more important than success at Academy level…
Without sounding like a broken record and repeating myself, any academy should be judged on producing players for the first team. That is extremely difficult and it can be a little bit subjective at times in terms of how much progression the players are making, but I think looking at the players this season a lot of them have made good progress. If it had been about us winning the league and if it had been about me wanting to be successful then I think some of the decisions we make would be completely different. I have no doubt that if we hadn’t made some of the decisions we made around January, then the U18s and the U23s could have won the league this season, but it’s not about me winning the league. It’s about what is right for the players. We will always stand by that and I think some of the players have benefited from those decisions in the second half of the season especially.
On the young players making the step up from U18 to U23 level…
I have been delighted with them in the second half of the season. The results I don’t think have reflected some of the performances. In some ways I have been more pleased with how they have done in the second half of the season rather than the first half of the season. I think the boys have played really well, they have given everything. As a coach you can only ask them to take on board the messages they have been given and try and play in the way that we want them to play. They have done everything to try and do that. Sometimes inexperience or a lack of physicality at this level has just cost us a little bit in some of the games. It has been a real fine line in a lot of the games other than the Leicester game away. A lot of the other games we lost we could easily have taken something out of and possibly won them. That has been our message to the players that, as they get older, it becomes that bit tougher and there is a fine line between winning and losing. I have to say, though, that I’ve been really delighted with a lot of the young boys who have stepped up in the second half of the season and they will take so much from it.
On the challenge posed by Chelsea on Tuesday night…
They have got some fantastic players, there’s no doubt about that. Their record speaks for itself at youth level. The next step is obviously getting players into the first team, everyone has that same problem in this country. Fortunately, we’ve got a manager in Jürgen Klopp who puts them in, he trusts them and believes in them. We know Chelsea will be tough at Anfield but when we’ve got our players on the pitch we’ve got a good team. I believe in our players and, if we are at it on Tuesday night at Anfield, then I’m positive we can pick up three points.
On beating Chelsea 3-1 back in November…
We played very well that day. Again, it was an extremely difficult game for us. They are a very powerful team and physically they have good athletes so your decision-making off the ball has to be very good, you have to stand up to the physical contest that they bring. But we played some really good football on that day as well - that’s what we have to do on Tuesday.
On his message to the team before they step out in front of the Kop…
Embrace it, enjoy the challenge. It might be the last game of the season but they are also playing for next season already. You don’t know what’s going to happen between now and the end of the season with the first team and also for pre-season with the first team. For young players there is always something to play for, there is always something to try and achieve so our process and the way that we train and the way we approach the games is no different whether we are playing for the league or not. That will be the message to the boys on Tuesday, that they have lots to play for. When you play for Liverpool and you represent the club there are some non-negotiables and you are expected to do certain things; we’ll have to bring those things onto the pitch on Tuesday.
On Liam Coyle being available for selection after being out injured since September…
He’s been a huge miss and I know it has been a hugely frustrating time for him. You see him around the place and he is so desperate to get out there and play football. He doesn’t take being injured well, which you expect of players, but he is one of them boys who kicks every ball, he wants to be involved and he wants to train. He would have learned a lot about himself in the time that he has been injured. The way he has used that time absolutely typifies him as a person. You can see the way that he has come back physically, he has developed his body and we are delighted to have him back. He told me that he has only played at Anfield when he was an U9 player for his school so it would be a really nice way for him to finish the season if we can get him some minutes on the pitch on Tuesday night.
If you want to show your support for the young Reds, free admission is available in the Kop but tickets must be purchased by 3.45pm BST on Monday. Click here for more details.
Only supporters in possession of a ticket should travel to Anfield.
Please note, once ticket sales end at 3.45pm on Monday May 7, we will not be able to accommodate any further walk-up sales.