Liverpool's main Academy teams both continued their good starts to the calendar year with victories at U18 and U21 level
Joshua Abe of Liverpool in action for the U18s
Joshua Abe of Liverpool in action for the U18s(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
View Image
It was another good weekend for Liverpool's Academy teams. And, for three players in particular, there was further reason for encouragement as they continued their impressive individual seasons.
Exciting 15-year-old prospect Josh Abe scored twice and Josh Sonni-Lambie notched his 19th goal of the campaign as the Reds under-18s earned a 4-2 win over Derby County in their U18 Premier League North clash at Kirkby on Friday afternoon.
Then later in the evening, Kieran Morrison notched the winner from the spot for the second successive week as the U21s won 1-0 at Brighton to earn a fourth straight Premier League 2 triumph.
Simon Wiles's U18s cemented their place in the top six with a solid victory over Derby in which Abe scored twice in the opening 25 minutes, the first a shot from the edge of the area while his second was helped in via a deflection following a pass from 14-year-old Luca Eden.
Remi Harvey pulled one back for Derby before half-time only for Oliver O'Connor to restore Liverpool's two-goal lead on 61 minutes with the visitors reduced to 10 men shortly afterwards when Marley Mintus was sent off for two bookable offences.
Derby, though, kept on going and after Kieran Clarke's strike gave them hope with 12 minutes remaining, substitute Sonni-Lambie made the game safe for Liverpool in the 10th minute of additional time.
The U21s, meanwhile, saw new arrival Noah Adekoya make his debut and help Rob Page's side keep a clean sheet with narrow victory at Brighton to move just five points off leaders Chelsea.
Morrison, who was on the first-team bench in midweek for the Champions League clash against Qarabag, struck the only goal after six minutes when converting a penalty after Josh Davidson had been fouled.
Brighton were reduced to 10 men shortly before the half-hour after Yussif Owusu brought down Keyrol Figueroa for a straight red.
Liverpool U21s are next in Premier League 2 action on Sunday, February 8 at Southampton (kick-off 1pm) while an U19 side travels to Slovakia on Tuesday to take on MSK Zilina in the UEFA Youth League round of 32 (kick-off 3.30pm).
LIVERPOOL U21s: Pecsi; Davidson, Pinnington, Adekoya, Scanlon (Pitt 67), Kelly, Morrison, Pilling, Figueroa (W Wright 76), Laffey, Kone-Doherty. Subs: Onanuga, Misciur, Bradshaw.
LIVERPOOL U18s: Bernard; Hickman, Ayman (Powney Wain 60), Cisse (Murray-Holme 46), Clarke, Upton (Owen 46), Abe (Sonni-Lambie 60), Eden, Lee Forrester, Farkas, O'Connor. Sub: M Wright.