Liverpool drew 1-1 against Everton in the mini-derby at U21 level, with Jayden Danns featuring for the first time since March in a feisty encounter at Goodison Park
Jayden Danns during a Liverpool U21 training session.
Jayden Danns during a Liverpool U21 training session.(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Jayden Danns made his long-awaited return from injury as Liverpool U21s drew with Everton U21s at Goodison Park, playing for the first time since he went off against Manchester City in March.
But that was far from the only story in an eventful second period that saw Mor Talla Ndiaye end the game in goal for Liverpool and Braiden Graham get sent off for throwing a punch.
Will Wright, who was afforded chances under Andoni Iraola this summer while Danns was absent, opened the scoring with a low finish early on when he clinically netted from inside the penalty area, but both sides had early chances in a competitive battle, and that lead didn't last.
Harvey Davies in the Liverpool goal had already made a couple of good saves before the deadlock was broken, and it wasn't long before Jack Patterson slid in to finish well off the post to make it 1-1.
Ollie O'Connor was lively down the right flank for Liverpool, but Keyrol Figueroa struggled to hold the ball up at times, and Josh Sonni-Lambie, operating off the left, wasn't always involved.
Everton, who played Stockport County's senior side in the EFL Trophy only three days ago with some of the same starters, did well to keep pushing in an even contest, with Reds center-backs Ndiaye (even before he ended up putting the gloves on) and Wellity Lucky kept busy.
Even with Danns on for the final half an hour, making his first appearance since mid-March, Liverpool couldn't find the winning goal, playing out a tie on the opening day. O'Connor missed a big chance when he pulled a shot wide.
U21 head coach Rob Page speaks with head coach Andoni Iraola of Liverpool during an U21 training session at AXA Training Centre
Andoni Iraola has discussed when Liverpool stars will report for pre-season training(Image: (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Everton should in fact have scored the winner when Rocco Lambert found the back of the net, only for the referee, Stephen Parkinson, to have prematurely blown the whistle for a foul when he should have played advantage.
And goalkeeper Davies was then sent off for bringing down an Everton attacker. With Liverpool having made all of their substitutions, Ndiaye, the defender ended the game in goal.
The eventful clash continued to unfold with Graham sent off for throwing a punch amid a mass confrontation. Ndiaye even made a decent save to preserve the point.
Liverpool's U18s and U21s groups trained together on a pre-season camp in Slovenia during the summer, and U21s boss Rob Page felt that experience put them in good shape for the start of the new campaign.
"That was fantastic," Page had said ahead of kick-off. "We work very closely with the U18s, which is so important, and I said to Alex [Inglethorpe] this was probably one of the best camps I've ever been on.
"During my time as a coach I've been on many camps with Wales at youth and senior level and this was up there with some of the best ones, not only because of the U18s and U21s traveling together but just the activities we could do off the pitch as well outside of football.
"They got to know each other as people not just footballers. One of the things Alex wanted to do when I came in was to get all the age groups closer together.
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"The U18s and U21s are now all aligned in our thinking and then that transition to the first team will be seamless. I think the training camp definitely helped with that."
On the season ahead in general, he added: "It's about opportunity and these young players have earned the right to be here.
"I'm encouraged by what we have seen so far and we are looking forward to hopefully shaping them to become the future of Liverpool Football Club, or if not, a career in the game.
"That's part of the job that me and Jay (Spearing) have to do and try to develop them to be professional footballers. Hopefully at our club but if not then a career in league football."