Ian Doyle with the main talking points from Liverpool U19s in their UEFA Youth League clash against LASK in Austria on Wednesday afternoon
Hat-trick hero Will Wright celebrates on of his three goals in Liverpool's remarkable UEFA Youth League comeback
Hat-trick hero Will Wright celebrates on of his three goals in Liverpool's remarkable UEFA Youth League comeback (Image: Liverpool FC)
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Liverpool may be running out of available strikers at senior level but Will Wright couldn't be doing any more to bolster his claims for a first-team debut under Andoni Iraola. During an alarmingly one-sided opening 57 minutes in this UEFA Youth League clash against LASK in Austria, Wright barely had a kick as hosts, making the most of their extra height and uncertainty in the visitors defending set-pieces, moved into a deserved 2-0 lead through Paul Krapf and Jonas Ilk.
But one moment changed the game - and continued the course of Wright's remarkable campaign, with every Liverpool goal demonstrating a different aspect of his game.
An umpteenth LASK breakaway gave Luca Ortner the chance to most likely seal victory only for the home player to arguably try to be a little too accurate when curling against the crossbar with only goalkeeper Bailey Hall to beat.
The ball was cleared, and eventually ended up in midfield where Luca Eden drove towards the halfway line and slipped a pass in for Wright, who evaded one challenge before advancing into the area and finishing underneath home keeper Christof Katzmayr.
Three minutes later, a period of Reds pressure ended with Finn Inglethorpe crossing from the left for Wright to head home from close range.
And there was a composed finish from the 18-year-old from the spot in the 89th minute to send Kayzmayr - with whom he had earlier had a confrontation for which both players were booked - the wrong way for the first hat-trick of his Liverpool career.
That's now nine goals in eight appearances this season for Wright, who helped the Reds go ahead when keeping alive a cross from Erik Farkas and inviting Eden to net. Scorer or creator, Wright is the team's talisman at this level right now.
Luca learning fast
So continue the records for Eden. Having become Liverpool's youngest-ever player in the UEFA Youth League when starting against Atletico Madrid last month, his goal here at the Voestalpine Stadion ensured the 15-year-old became their youngest goalscorer in the competition.
He joined the likes of Arsenal's Max Dowman, Manchester City's Rayan Cherki and Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch in the overall such list.
And yet at half-time it could have been a very different story. With LASK fired up in front of a lively home crowd, the Reds struggled to impose themselves in midfield, regularly being turned over on the counter-attack.
Eden had to tread carefully after being rightly booked for a late challenge that left Ortner requiring lengthy treatment.
The midfielder's raw talent, though, is what has propelled him through the ranks already, and it was his searching pass through the lines for Wright that helped create Liverpool's first.
And his energy and enthusiasm meant it was no surprise Eden was on hand to notch the pivotal third goal. It is becoming difficult to keep quiet the inevitably growing noise surrounding the teenager.
Substitutes make difference
With Josh Sonni-Lambie joining Wellity Lucky in being called up for duty in the senior squad for their Champions League clash in Linz later in the day, it meant a chance for Inglethorpe to make his first UEFA Youth League start.
The forward, in impressive goalscoring form for the U18s this season before injury, was employed behind main striker Wright.
And while Inglethorpe, who recently turned 18, couldn't be faulted for effort, he found it difficult to make much of an impression given Liverpool's overall wayward first-half showing.
It will have provided a real injection of confidence, then, that his assist for the Reds' second continued his record in terms of goal contributions.
Oliver O'Connor once again demonstrated his versatility when moving to right-back in a reshuffled team at the break and responded with an outstanding second half that pushed back LASK.
And substitutes AJ Yeguo and Erik Farkas both made a difference from the bench, Farkas putting in the cross to initiate the third while Yeguo's forceful run won what in truth was a somewhat charitable penalty to seal the win.
Liverpool have now moved on to four points from two games to stand inside the top 10 in the UEFA Youth League table. Their next game in the competition is against Villarreal at Kirkby next Tuesday (kick-off 3pm).
LIVERPOOL U19S (4-2-3-1): Hall; Conde (Yeguo 46), Cisse, Ndiaye, Ayman; Upton, Eden; O'Connor, Inglethorpe, Bradshaw (Farkas 72); Wright. Subs: M Wright, Clarke, Huth, Hickman, Murray-Holme, Garin. BOOKINGS: Eden, Bradshaw, Cisse, Yeguo, Ayman, Wright.