Markovic scores & Kent influential on busy week for loanees – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

Lazar Markovic scored his first goal for Hull City, while Ryan Kent was in positive form for Barnsley on a pleasing week of action for the loaned Reds.

Markovic built on his good form by netting his first goal for the Tigers in a 4-2 win over Middlesbrough in midweek, which you can read about in full here.

The Serbian’s form has earned him a regular role in Hull’s XI and he started at Man City on Saturday, but couldn’t replicate his impressive recent displays as his side lost 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

With Hull on the back foot for the much of the game, Markovic’s attacking influence was limited, restricted instead to a defensive role in which he worked hard but for little reward.

Ryan Kent featured in two Championship games this week for Barnsley, impressing especially in the second of those outings.

FLEETWOOD, ENGLAND - Wednesday, July 13, 2016: Liverpool's Ryan Kent in action against Fleetwood Town during a friendly match at Highbury Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The week started on a frustrating note as Kent dropped to the bench for his side’s goalless draw at Cardiff despite impressing last weekend, restricted to a 20-minute runout against the Welsh club.

But a lively cameo earned him an instant recall to the starting lineup at Blackburn, in which Kent enjoyed an influential afternoon.

Back in his left-wing position, Kent played a key role in the 2-0 win by supplying the corner for Barnsley’s opening goal—whipping in a brilliant delivery to the near post where the ball was flicked across and converted at the back post.

This came in an overall eye-catching performance, which saw Kent withdrawn two minutes from time to a great ovation from the Barnsley faithful.

Back in the Premier League, Mamadou Sakho’s winning run at Crystal Palace came to an abrupt end with a defeat at Southampton.

BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 3, 2016: Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho, with dyed blonde hair, in action against Leicester City during the Premier League International Cup match at St. George's Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Though powerless to prevent a 3-1 loss, the Frenchman was still one of the Eagles’ better performers, making some typically crucial interventions in the 82 minutes before the Saints sealed victory with two late goals.

The loss was Sakho’s only game this week, but the he is in action on Monday night as Crystal Palace host Arsenal, live on Sky Sports 1, with kickoff at 8pm.

Meanwhile, in unsurprising news, Jon Flanagan was uninvolved in both of Burnley’s games this week.

Back in the Championship, Danny Ward endured a mixed week at Huddersfield on both individual and collective notes.

CARDIFF, WALES - Thursday, March 24, 2016: Wales Danny Ward in action against Northern Ireland during an International Friendly match at the Cardiff City Stadium. (Pic by Ian Cook/Propaganda)

Ward’s week started perfectly as he posted his 10th clean sheet of the season in a 3-0 win over Norwich on Wednesday, doing the little he had to with minimum fuss as his side dominated.

But it was a different story on Saturday, as Huddersfield suffered a 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in which Ward endured a difficult afternoon.

Though not at fault for either goal—and he did make one superb first-half save—Ward twice almost gifted Forest a goal, with his error in rushing out going unpunished before he allowed a shot to go through his hands, which trickled wide.

In a surprising but welcome upturn, all five of Liverpool’s loanees around the globe enjoyed game time this week, albeit it to varying degrees of success.

Andre Wisdom continued his fine form at Red Bull Salzburg by helping earn a vital 1-0 win over Sturm Graz, which extended his side’s unbeaten run to 14 games.

HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - Wednesday, July 20, 2016: Liverpool's Andre Wisdom in action against Huddersfield Town during pre-season friendly match at the John Smithís Stadium. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Wisdom made his third consecutive start—the longest playing streak of his season—and impressed as he helped post a third straight win and clean sheet, producing a no-nonsense defensive performance to seal a big three points.

In MLS, Brooks Lennon also enjoyed a winning weekend, helping Real Salt Lake to their first win of the campaign with a 3-0 triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps.

A game played in heavy snowstorm, the youngster featured on the right of a front three and he turned in a hardworking performance in difficult conditions, while also proving an influential figure as he carved out three key passes.

So far this season, the American has yet to score or assist in four outings.

Continuing the positive news, Taiwo Awoniyi enjoyed successive starts for NEC Nijmegen for the first time since November, returning to the starting XI out of nowhere to lead attack against Groningen and Ajax.

Neither game panned out as Awoniyi will have hoped, with the Nigerian failing to score in two full outings—making him goalless since October—as his side lost 2-0 and 5-1 respectively.

Despite not finding the net, Awoniyi produced much brighter displays—especially against Groningen, as he really should have marked his return with a goal but missed a good chance shooting straight at the goalkeeper when one-on-one.

In Germany, Allan Rodrigues also made a rare appearance for Hertha Berlin, featuring for the first time since December as a late substitute for the last 10 minutes of a 2-0 win over Augsburg.

In less positive news, Pedro Chirivella endured a nightmare week with Go Ahead Eagles, with the youngster on the receiving end of two thrashings.

Pedro Chirivella vs. Tranmere Rovers. Credit: Propaganda

The first came in what may be the most humiliating outing of the Spaniard’s short professional career, with Chirivella and his team suffering a humiliating 8-0 loss to Feyenoord in midweek.

The midfielder played every minute of the one-sided contest, but not even that was a positive on an embarrassing night for the Eagles, who fared only marginally better on Saturday, losing only 4-1 to Heracles.

The 20-year-old again played all 90 minutes, but that was once more the only plus-point of two games which provided a brutal learning experience.

Oppositely to the quintet of Reds around the globe, it was a poor week for the lower-league loanees, with none of the quartet playing even a minute of action.

FLEETWOOD, ENGLAND - Wednesday, July 13, 2016: Liverpool's Cameron Brannagan in action against Fleetwood Town during a friendly match at Highbury Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Cameron Brannagan missed Fleetwood’s midweek win at Oxford, and was then an unused substitute in Saturday’s loss at Oldham—a result which will hopefully see him restored to the starting XI next time out.

Elsewhere, Ryan Fulton was an unused substitute at Chesterfield, Lloyd Jones was left out of involvement altogether at Swindon, and Jack Dunn remains sidelined by injury at Tranmere.


Liverpool’s Loanees This Week

  • Mamadou SakhoCrystal Palace – Played 90 mins vs. Southampton
  • Lazar MarkovicHull City – Played 90 mins and scored vs. Middlesbrough & 90 mins vs. Man City
  • Jon FlanaganBurnley – Left out of matchday squad vs. Stoke & unused sub vs. Middlesbrough
  • Danny Ward – Huddersfield Town – Played 90 mins, keeping clean sheet vs. Norwich & 90 mins vs. Nottingham Forest
  • Ryan Kent – Barnsley – Played 20 mins vs. Cardiff & 88 mins vs. Blackburn
  • Pedro Chirivella – Go Ahead Eagles – Played 90 mins vs. Feyenoord & Haracles
  • Andre Wisdom – Red Bull Salzburg – Uninvolved vs. Kapfenberger & played 90 mins vs. Sturm Graz
  • Taiwo Awoniyi – NEC Nijmegen – Played 90 mins vs. Groningen & Ajax
  • Allan Rodrigues – Hertha Berlin – Left out of matchday squad vs. Borussia Monchengladbach & played 10 mins vs. Augsburg
  • Brooks Lennon – Real Salt Lake – Played 90 mins vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Cameron Brannagan – Fleetwood Town – Left out of matchday squad vs. Oxford & unused sub vs. Oldham
  • Lloyd Jones – Swindon Town – Left out of matchday involvement vs. MK Dons
  • Ryan Fulton – Chesterfield Town – Unused sub vs. Port Vale
  • Jack Dunn – Tranmere – Injured

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