Liverpool U18s conceded six times in a heavy defeat to Sunderland U18s today as a difficult campaign — in terms of results, at least — continues.
All of the goals — for both Sunderland and Liverpool — came in a crazy half-hour spell in the second half of the game. It was 0-0 at the break before Tom Proctor opened the scoring four minutes after half-time.
Seven minutes later, Marcus Neill had scored twice and taken the game away from Liverpool, though Joshua Sonni-Lambie, who has impressed this year under Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, made it 3-1. By 69 minutes, though, Neill had completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, and not before Liam Hunt had added his name to the scoresheet.
Aaron Chung made it 6-1 to Sunderland on 78 minutes and then Liverpool went down to 10 men when defender Joe Upton was sent off for a second yellow card offense, further compounding the Reds’ misery.
Liverpool had won the reverse fixture by four goals to two earlier in the season — one of just four league wins it has picked up. This was a 13th loss in the league competition.
Though the result was disappointing and Liverpool will not want to be beaten in such a manner often, the focus is always on bringing players through rather than winning silverware at youth level.
(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
This season at senior level, for instance, Rio Ngumoha, who is still young enough to feature for the U18s, has made his first start in the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley. Trey Nyoni, another who would still be eligible to play, has been a regular in first-team training under Arne Slot and impressed last summer in pre-season, including scoring at Anfield against Sevilla.
Liverpool U18s have four more games left to play this season. On Wednesday, they will host Manchester City in Kirkby, before facing Middlesbrough and Stoke City away from home before the end of the month.
The young Reds’ final match of the campaign is a Merseyside derby. Liverpool will play Everton at home on May 3. It has been a tricky season in terms of results in the U18 Premier League North, with Bridge-Wilkinson’s side second bottom having only picked up 15 points from 20 fixtures so far.
