Liverpool U21s 0-2 Everton U21s: Match Report & Barry Lewtas | OneFootball

Ahead of a huge showdown in London for Arne Slot’s side, it was a doubleheader at the academy for the Under 18s and the Under 21s on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Kirkby.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s youngsters faced Sunderland and after a start which saw both teams create chances, Scofield Lonmeni fired the hosts in front before a penalty levelled the game ahead of half-time.

The second half was full of goals though as a Joe Bradshaw double and a smart Oli O’Connor penalty secured the points in a much-needed 4-2 win for Liverpool.

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So it was over to Barry Lewtas’ Under 21 outfit in the mini derby, albeit a side without the likes of Rio Ngumoha and Tyler Morton, the latter of whom is likely to be involved in the senior squad at the Emirates.

Despite the absentees, Trey Nyoni, Tom Hill and Amara Nallo made up the spine of a strong lineup and thus it proved that both sides gave it their best in an even contest lacking in the way of clear-cut chances for the most part.

Unfortunately for The Reds, most of the good work came in the middle of the pitch and around the final third but outside of the penalty area and range of carving out a proper opportunity.

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With the sidelined Jayden Danns watching on from the sidelines, likely desperate to get back involved, Liverpool failed to take advantage of the lion’s share of possession and Everton forward Omari Benjamin punished Lewtas’ side when he gave the cross-the-park rivals a lead in the 65th minute.

A goal down, the mini Reds stepped up the urgency but found Blues’ goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban in inspired form, denying Tommy Pilling and Nyoni in superb style.

Lewtas introduced right back Isaac Mabaya after a lengthy absence and the marauding full-back provided a threat from his flank, much in the same vein to which he had shown two pre-seasons ago for the first team.

With time running out and the ever-threatening Kieran Morrison regularly seeing his ability to cut inside and provide crosses thwarted, Trent Kone-Doherty entered the fray to offer his trick dribbling prowess, beating his man on multiple occasions and delivering into the area, but the visitors’ defence was stoic and not for the beating.

In the dying seconds, Benjamin stole the ball from Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur and slotted it into the empty net, further frustration for Lewtas and his charges on the back of a disappointing result over in Leipzig.

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Barry Lewtas

On the result: “We’ve only got ourselves to blame a little bit. They did what they did well and we did well but it was probably that final third, we just didn’t do enough today and that was the story really, they were clinical and we weren’t.”

On Jayden Danns: “He’s working his way back. I think it’s always easy from the stands, Ranel has led the line really well for us, who would’ve known whoever would’ve played today? You can’t surmise what would’ve happened.”

On Isaac Mabaya: “Really good, he’s been training for a while, it was good to get him some game minutes. He’s been working his socks off and I thought he was a real threat when he came on, linking up with Kieran, so yeah, great to have him back.”