Newcastle United’s U18s secured a dramatic win against Liverpool U18s to keep their unbeaten start to the season going.
While many fans were making the trip to St James’ Park ahead of the game against Wolves, Chris Moore was preparing his U18s side for an important game against Liverpool in the U18 Premier League.
Newcastle United’s academy has come a long way since the takeover in 2021, with Eddie Howe and his recruitment team making it clear that they want promising young players coming through the academy after years of neglect under Mike Ashley’s ownership.
Moore’s U18s were unbeaten in their first three league games of the season, having beaten Blackburn and Wolves before a 3-3 draw against Leeds United. It was then time for their biggest test against Liverpool.
The Young Magpies secured the win dramatically, with one player stealing the show.
Kacey Wooster applauds the fans following an EFL Trophy game between Huddersfield and Newcastle United U21s.
Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Kacey Wooster shines for Newcastle United U18s in Liverpool win
Newcastle are currently third in the U18 Premier League table, with just Manchester City and Manchester United ahead of them. It could be a very positive season for Moore’s side if they are able to keep this form up, but there is a long way to go before any conclusions can be made.
17-year-old attacker Kacey Wooster has made a positive impression since joining the Magpies academy from Southend as a 15-year-old in 2023. He is now a regular for the U18s.
In February, Wooster turned heads with a brace against Liverpool, and in May, Wooster went on a run of seven goals in six starts.
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Now, Wooster has bettered his showing against Liverpool in February by scoring a brace and bagging an assist on Merseyside.
Newcastle had a 3-1 lead in the game before Liverpool brought it back to 3-3. However, Wooster’s late goal was enough to seal the deal and secure the three points.
Newcastle United’s new youth signings are proving successful
Newcastle have welcomed several new academy players to the club in recent months, with some already appearing for the first team during pre-season.
Seung-soo Park has made a positive impact at Newcastle. The 18-year-old started for the Magpies in a friendly against Espanyol, while he was also named on the bench for Newcastle’s draw with Aston Villa.
Elsewhere, there is a lot of excitement around Antonio Cordero, who has already played professionally for Malaga. The 18-year-old has been loaned out to KCV Westerlo this season, but the hope is that he can become a first-team regular in the future.
Additionally, the likes of Kyle Fitzgerald and Baran Yildiz are developing well after joining the club in January.
Howe could pick several young stars in his starting XI if he wanted to. Perhaps, he could look to use some of them in the Carabao Cup game against League One side Bradford City later this month.