Image Credits: Imago Images
Premier League 2 is not a forgiving competition. It is where young players are tested against elite academy sides with senior intensity.
Results matter, but performances matter even more. Clubs use these games to measure readiness, resilience, and decision-making under pressure. For players on the edge of first-team pathways, PL2 can define careers.
Stoke City’s Under-21s began 2026 knowing momentum mattered. An unbeaten run brings belief, but it also raises standards.
Facing Leeds United away at Thorp Arch was never going to be easy. Leeds are known for their aggressive press and physical youth sides. Stoke needed composure, patience, and a moment of quality to make the difference.
That moment came just before the hour mark. It was the kind of goal that settles a tight game.
It secured a 1–0 win and extended Stoke’s PL2 unbeaten run to seven matches. For an Under-21 side, that level of consistency matters. It shows structure, clarity, and trust in young players.
From a Liverpool point of view, the performance raised interest. When academy players step outside their usual environment and still deliver, it tells you something.
Doing it away from home, in a tight league game, adds more weight.
Tyler Martin was the decisive figure for The Potters. The Liverpool academy winger played on trial for Stoke City’s Under-21s and scored the winning goal against Leeds United.
He came off the bench and made his impact count. It was not unfamiliar territory for him.
Just days earlier, Martin had done something similar for Liverpool’s Under-18s. He scored in stoppage time from the bench to help seal a 4–2 win against Stoke City.
Two games. Two late impacts. Both from the bench.
Liverpool’s academy is known for developing wide players who can change games. Martin’s ability to affect matches without starting shows maturity.
For Stoke, the trial offered proof of quality. For Liverpool, it was another reminder of the depth coming through Kirkby.
In PL2, moments define players. Tyler Martin took his.
65’ Stoke take a 1-0 lead through Tyler Martin, but Leeds are on the hunt for an equaliser as Marley Wilson’s attempt is blocked pic.twitter.com/fDZypeDJ5Z
— Leeds United Academy (@LUFCacad) January 16, 2026
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