Kieran Morrison stole the show as he scored twice and provided an assist in a 3-0 away win for Liverpool U21s against Nottingham Forest U21s.
Nottingham Forest U21s 0-3 Liverpool U21s
Premier League 2, Loughborough University Stadium
February 20, 2026
Goals: Morrison 11′ 86′, Adekoya 21′
Morrison has clearly been Liverpool U21s’ standout player this season, warranting him plenty of training time with the first team and a start against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
While he may have been below par that night at Anfield, it hasn’t deterred him from pushing on at the academy, and Friday night saw him put in one of the performances of the season.
Coach Rob Page made one change from last weekend’s 4-3 win over West Brom, bringing Tommy Pilling into the midfield as Rio Ngumoha dropped out due to first-team preparations for Sunday’s trip to play Forest’s senior side.
This meant Liverpool started with a front three of Morrison, Will Wright and Trent Kone-Doherty ahead of a midfield consisting of Trey Nyoni, Pilling and Kyle Kelly.
Kieran Morrison, take a bow! ? pic.twitter.com/PQnEs1OZVf
— The LFC Academy (@LFCAcademyX) February 20, 2026
It didn’t take Morrison to make his mark on the game as, in the 11th minute, he struck a fantastic free-kick from 25 yards out that left goalkeeper George Murray-Jones flailing.
Ten minutes later, the Northern Ireland youth international was involved again, delivering an inch-perfect cross from the right to find centre-back Noah Adekoya who calmly side-footed home for his first Liverpool goal since signing from Burnley in January.
Noah Adekoya fires in our second ?
Watch the second half live: https://t.co/3HqlDZqzaC ? pic.twitter.com/bk6ClD4qIy
— The LFC Academy (@LFCAcademyX) February 20, 2026
Half time: Nottingham Forest U21s 0-2 Liverpool U21s
In the Loughborough rain, it would have been easy for Forest’s heads to go down, but to their credit, they fought to stay in the game.
Gambian striker Lamin Sillah had chances and the hosts kept the ball for periods around the Liverpool box. However, there was no cutting edge, leaving Page’s side able to break.
One such counter-attack almost led to a second for Morrison, who fired a shot across goal and just wide. When the right-winger did eventually get his second, it came in slightly bizarre circumstances.
A goal straight from a corner ?
Kieran Morrison rounds off a top performance ? pic.twitter.com/EdC9WIfal6
— The LFC Academy (@LFCAcademyX) February 20, 2026
Lining up to deliver an inswinging corner, he whipped the ball high towards the near post and it went straight into the net despite the efforts of the ‘keeper, who ended up tangled in the net.
Whether he meant to score directly from the corner or not is up for debate. What isn’t, though, is the talent in his left foot that has helped him score 11 goals and produce six assists in 20 youth appearances this season.
The Reds are now just two points off the top of Premier League 2, but they have played at least one game more than each of the four teams above them.
Liverpool U21s: Pecsi; Ramsay (Davidson 62′), Pinnington, Adekoya, Ewing; Kelly (Onanuga 79′), Pilling, Nyoni (Laffey 62′); Morrison (Pitt 85′), Kone-Doherty, W. Wright
Subs not used: Poytress
Next Match: Tottenham U21s (H) – Premier League 2 – Sunday, March 1, 2pm (GMT)