Jayden Danns was among the goalscorers for Liverpool under-21s as Joe Bradshaw continued his progress with the U18s
Jayden Danns of Liverpool
Jayden Danns of Liverpool(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
New season, new optimism. But it was a weekend of contrasting fortunes for the main Liverpool Academy teams under their respective new head coaches.
While the under-18s romped to a 5-1 win at Stoke City on Saturday in their opening U18 Premier League North fixture under Simon Wiles, the U21s - now with former Wales boss Rob Page in charge - suffered a 4-2 reverse at Leicester City on Monday night in their first Premier League 2 game of the campaign.
There were, though, some positives to take for Page's side, particularly another goal for Jayden Danns as the 19-year-old continues to rediscover match sharpness having been absent for much of the year with a stress fracture in his back.
Danns - who played an hour - gave Liverpool hope of a comeback at Leicester when, after the home side had taken a 2-0 lead by the interval through Michael Golding and Nathaniel Opoku, he netted four minutes after half-time into the top corner after being found by Michael Laffey.
Hope proved to be shortlived, though, with Golding and Opoku both scoring again in quick succession before Liverpool - for whom Calvin Ramsay started at right-back - pulled a goal back late on through Laffey.
There was better fortune for new U18s boss Wiles as 17-year-old Joe Bradshaw inspired the young Reds to comprehensive victory at Stoke.
Bradshaw, last season's top scorer for the U18s and who signed his first professional contract in the summer, set up DJ Esdaille to bag the opener and then curled in a brilliant free-kick to double Liverpool's advantage.
Josh Sonni-Lambie notched a remarkable goal on the hour from the halfway line after Stoke goalkeeper Lucas Knight was out of position before substitute Finn Inglethorpe scored with his first touch.
Stoke pulled one back from a corner with a Tommy McNally header before home defender Sanchez Phillips put through his own net to completed the scoring.
Liverpool U21s are next up against Burnley at Kirkby on Monday (2pm) while the U18s travel to the Clarets on Saturday, August 30 (11am).
LIVERPOOL U21s: Pecsi; Ramsay, Lucky, Nallo (Pinnington 46), Miles; Davidson (Wright 60), Pilling; Morrison (Ahmed 78), Laffey, Kone-Doherty; Danns (Figueroa 60). Sub: Hall. BOOKING: Davidson.
LIVERPOOL U18s: Misciu;, Esdaille, Ayman, Cisse, Clarke, Upton, Bradshaw, Hickman (Murray-Holme 83), Sonni-Lambie (Lonmeni 76), Yeguo, Forrester (Inglethorpe 76). Subs: Bernard, Owen. BOOKING: Cisse, Yeguo.