Jones sees red, Ward & Fulton keep clean sheets, Markovic, Wisdom & Awoniyi debut – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

September 12, 2016
Ben Twelves

We round up how Liverpool’s 12 loan players fared for their current clubs, with a positive but quiet weekend of action playing out for the loanees.

On a weekend of limited productivity, Lloyd Jones provided the main talking point following an afternoon to forget for Swindon Town, in which he was sent off.

Featuring at centre-back for the Robins in their local derby with Oxford United, Jones received his marching orders on 65 minutes in his side’s 2-0 defeat following two yellow-card offences

The second could have justified a red card on its own such was the ugliness of the challenge.

Jones’ early exit came with his team already 2-0 down and capped off an uninspiring display from the defender, who was joined in his early bath by former Reds goalkeeper, Lawrence Vigouroux, who also saw red before the end.

More positively, Liverpool’s young loaned ‘keepers continued their positive form, with the youthful duo of the three stoppers keeping clean sheets.

Danny Ward kept perhaps the most vital one, with the Welshman helping Huddersfield retain top spot in the Championship at this early stage with an impressive 1-0 win at Leeds United.

The 22-year-old will certainly have expected to have more work to do at Elland Road as his side held on to a precious lead, but even though it was a quiet afternoon for Ward overall, he did well when called upon, making routine stops and operating decisively to defuse danger.

https://twitter.com/dan_ward52/status/774658311442628608

And in League One, Ryan Fulton posted his second shutout of the season for Chesterfield in their goalless draw at Oldham Athletic.

In contrast to Ward, the 20-year-old had to be in inspired form and he was, making some impressive saves to keep the home side at bay—including a sharp reaction stop at his near post and fine full-stretch save from a long-range effort in the second period.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t quite as productive an afternoon between the sticks for Adam Bogdan at Wigan Athletic, with the Hungarian conceding twice in their 2-1 Championship loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

The 28-year-old was certainly not at fault for either goal, but he may feel he could have done better with the first which beat him relatively easily, and some suspect goalkeeping—namely a lack of shot-stopping prowess—almost saw him ship a third.

To his credit, Bogdan made a fine save from point-blank range to keep his side in the game late on, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Wigan suffering a defeat which leaves them just a place above the relegation zone.

Also in the second tier, after a recent spell of impressive form, Ryan Kent endured a quieter afternoon for Barnsley in their 2-1 win over Preston North End on Saturday.

PHOTO: Ryan @ryankent in action pic.twitter.com/ogPZI5diHa

— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) September 10, 2016

The young winger started in his usual right-midfield role for the Tykes, but struggled to impose himself on the game, which lead to his early withdrawal with an hour gone.

Typically, the man who replaced him, Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong, netted an impressive winner which leaves Kent potentially facing a battle to keep his place in the starting team next time out.

Three of Liverpool’s European loanees made their debuts for new clubs across the continent.

https://twitter.com/LMarkec50/status/774999998018818049

In Portugal, Lazar Markovic enjoyed a 30-minute second-half cameo on his first outing for Sporting CP in their 3-0 win over Moreirense on Saturday.

Coming in on the right with his side 3-0 up, it was a comfortable position for the Serbian to make his bow, slotting in nicely but naturally making little impact with a fourth win from four games already won.

In Austria, Andre Wisdom made a winning start to life at Red Bull Salzburg on Sunday afternoon, entering as a second-half substitute in their 4-0 success over Admira.

The defender played the final 12 minutes of the win, coming on to help his side see out the game when two goals up, and he did just that as Salzburg doubled their advantage with two late goals while keeping it tight at the back to claim a big victory.

And in the Netherlands, Taiwo Awoniyi made his Eredivisie bow for NEC Nijmegen on Saturday, but disappointingly after a delayed start, it came in a heavy 4-0 loss to title favourites, PSV Eindhoven.

The Nigerian, donning the No. 9 shirt, played up front in a strike duo from the start, but he turned in a quiet display as his side conceded four times in the first 24 minutes, which saw the teenager withdrawn with 20 minutes remaining and the game done and dusted.

Back in the Football League, Jack Dunn didn’t enjoy his best afternoon for Morecambe who were thrashed 5-1 by Doncaster Rovers in League Two.

A key player for the fourth division club already, Dunn—like most of his team—turned in an unproductive performance on an afternoon little came off for the 20-year-old, which eventually saw him substituted with only 10 minutes remaining and his side 4-1 down.

Dunn has been replaced by Massanka who makes his first appearance. It's been a difficult afternoon for Jack the lad.

— Morecambe FC (@MorecambeFC) September 10, 2016

Meanwhile in the tier above, Sam Hart was an unused substitute for Port Vale in their 2-2 draw with Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon.

That was also the case in the Bundesliga for Allan Rodrigues, who watched from the bench for the duration as his Hertha Berlin side eased their way to a 2-0 win at Ingolstadt on Saturday.

And finally, Jon Flanagan featured in a Premier League squad with Burnley for the first time since joining the club, but the Scouse Cafu watched the Clarets’ 1-1 draw with fellow promoted outfit Hull City from the bench.