Markovic scores & Bogdan keeps clean sheet on busy weekend of action – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

October 17, 2016
Ben Twelves

It was a busy weekend of action for Liverpool’s loanees in the Football League and abroad, as Lazar Markovic scored again.

Markovic netted his second goal for Sporting in midweek, scoring the winner in his side’s 1-0 victory against second-tier outfit, Famalicao, in the Portuguese Cup.

Completing the full 90 minutes playing in a roaming attacking role, Markovic added to his first league strike, posted prior to the international break, as he finished off a slick move inside the box.

Showing impressive striking instinct, the 22-year-old turned sharply and fired home from close-range.

Settling well and finding the net for the second time in quick succession will boost the Serbian’s confidence, and Markovic will hope his form earns him a start when Sporting take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday.

And Adam Bogdan was the main positive of the Reds’ domestic loanees, with the Hungarian stopper again in better form for Wigan after a period of uninspiring displays.

The Reds ‘keeper registered a second clean sheet in a row as he helped the Latics to a point against Burton Albion in a tight contest at the DW Stadium, where the ex-Bolton man dealt well with what he had to on a relatively quiet afternoon.

However, Bogdan was extremely fortunate not concede on one occasion, with only a goal-line clearance preventing Burton finding the net after his poor headed clearance gifted the Brewers a shooting chance.

Though Bogdan managed to avoid defeat, it was a disappointing weekend of results for Liverpool’s other second-tier players.

Danny Ward couldn’t prevent his side slipping to a 1-0 loss in their Yorkshire derby clash against Sheffield Wednesday—a result that saw the Terriers drop to third place.

Despite defeat, Ward produced a typically assured all-round display, being beaten only by a penalty from Fernando Forestieri, which sent him the wrong way.

He made a big save to prevent his side shipping a second late on, standing tall and making a solid stop when exposed one-on-one.

And Ryan Kent completed a winless weekend for the Championship men as his Barnsley side went down 4-2 against Fulham.

Positively, Kent’s run of sustained match time continued at Oakwell where he completed the full 90 minutes in his usual right-midfield role, and he produced some bright moments, impressing with his dribbling ability and directness, despite being unable to provide the inspiration to avoid defeat.

It was a quiet weekend for the Reds’ lower-league men, with only two featuring for their temporary clubs.

Ryan Fulton was one of those to play, but it was a disappointing afternoon for the 20-year-old, whose Chesterfield side lost 1-0 at Southend in League One.

The Scottish youth ‘keeper was rarely called into action at Roots Hall, but he was helpless to prevent the goal conceded, beaten by an unstoppable close-range strike following some chaotic defending from his team-mates at a corner.

In the same division, Sam Hart continued his recent flurry of action for Port Vale, but was also left frustrated as his team suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat at Sheffield United.

Positively, the natural left-back played the full 90 minutes, albeit while playing in a more advanced wide-midfield role, but that was about the only plus point in a poor team performance from Vale, who were well beaten at Bramall Lane.

Meanwhile, it was a positive if unrewarding weekend for Liverpool’s European loanees.

Beginning to settle into life at Hertha Berlin, Allan Rodrigues de Souza enjoyed another substitute appearance for the Bundesliga side, playing a part in their hectic 1-1 draw with Dortmund.

The talented Brazilian took up a central midfield role for the final 13 minutes, in which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised for BVB, and the 19-year-old was tidy in his work despite having little time to impose himself on the game.

In the Netherlands, Taiwo Awoniyi was also handed a second-half outing, featuring in the latter stages of NEC Nijmegen’s 2-1 loss to Eredivise leaders, Feyenoord.

The imposing striker entered for the final 17 minutes with his team in the lead, but endured an ineffective cameo appearance as NEC attempted to hang on which they ultimately didn’t, shipping two late goals.

And though uninvolved in action, there was positive news in Austria as Andre Wisdom returned to matchday involvement with Red Bull Salzburg, watching his side’s 2-2 draw with Wolfsberg from the bench.

Finally, Jon Flanagan had to settle for a place on the Burnley bench once again this weekend, with the full-back disappointingly an unused substitute in the Clarets’ 3-0 defeat to Southampton.

Injuries

Lloyd Jones missed Swindon’s goalless draw with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday after failing to recover from a hip injury in time to feature, while in League Two, Jack Dunn was also out of action for Morecambe.