Liverpool Under-21s left it late to beat Stoke City 2-1, as Jayden Danns missed out and Will Wright started his first match.
Stoke City U21s 1-2 Liverpool U21s
Premier League 2, Clayton Wood
August 29, 2025
Goals: Dixon (og.) 9′, Figueroa 86′; Walker 33′
Following defeat against Burnley, Rob Page’s team bounced back on Friday evening with a 2-1 win at Stoke, clinched by a late goal from Keyrol Figueroa.
Calvin Ramsay, who signed for £4.2 million in 2022, captained the team at right-back, lining up alongside Carter Pinnington, Wellity Lucky and Lucas Pitt in defence.
Ben Trueman played in midfield with Kieran Morrison and Tommy Pilling, while Wright, Michael Laffey and Trent Kone-Doherty started in attack.
Danns was not involved, and This Is Anfield understands this is due to Liverpool managing his workload ahead of playing for England Under-20s next week.
Those who were on the pitch got off to a great start, Trent Kone-Doherty causing problems down the right side.
It was through Kone-Doherty that Liverpool created their opener in the ninth minute as, following the winger’s low cross, Stoke’s Jaden Dixon accidentally turned the ball into his own goal while under pressure from Wright.
On his first start, Wright nearly got a goal of his own, forcing Noah Cooper into an excellent save.
Liverpool continued to put pressure on the hosts, but Stoke equalised against the run of play when Liverpool’s failure to clear a corner led to Adriel Walker netting from close range.
Stoke grew into the match after half time and the game became an end-to-end affair that the visitors eventually won, thanks to Figueroa’s 86th-minute winner.
The 18-year-old finished from just a couple of yards out after Morrison’s pass found Kone-Doherty, who saw his shot rebound into the path of Figueroa.
The action didn’t finish there, however, with Pecsi required to make a great save before Lucas Pitt cleared off the line to secure the win.
Liverpool U21s: Pecsi; Ramsay (Miles 73′), Pinnington, Lucky, Pitt; Trueman (Davidson 55′), Morrison, Pilling; Wright (Figueroa 58′), Laffey, Kone-Doherty
Subs not used: Hall, Airoboma
Next match: Man United U21s (A) – Premier League 2 – Friday, September 21, 2pm (BST)