Wilson scores again & Keita produces stunning assist – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

Harry Wilson scored again to continue his fine form while Naby Keita posted a stunning assist on a largely frustrating week for Liverpool’s loanees.

The 16 borrowed Reds—and Naby Keita—followed up an incredible last week with a less-productive seven days.

Five loanees went without action with Ryan Kent and Sheyi Ojo not selected, Corey Whelan unused, Taiwo Awoniyi out through illness while Connor Randall had a weekend off.

However there were still positives—mostly with Wilson and Keita’s fine form—and here’s the lowdown on those who played.

 

Wilson continues to shine at Hull…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhcL-nrHvXy/?hl=en&taken-by=harrywilson22

The Wales international enjoyed another excellent week as his impressive form and development continue apace.

Wilson produced a second goalscoring, and overall influential, display in as many games to inspire the Tigers to another big win—this time a 5-0 demolition of Burton.

The 21-year-old opened the scoring with a curling left-foot finish inside the box for his fifth Hull goal, before he then won the penalty from which his side made it 3-0.

Wilson, whose fine form saw him nominated for Hull’s March Player of the Month award, was unable to replicate that in Saturday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday though.

The winger was in less-influential form as his side suffered a first defeat in four games with a 1-0 loss.

 

10 more Reds enjoyed match action…

Pedro Chirivella of Willem II during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Willem II Tilburg and ADO Den Haag at Koning Willem II stadium on September 09, 2017 in Tilburg, The Netherlands

All of the available European Reds featured with the majority in good form.

Willem II midfield ever-present Pedro Chirivella produced a hard-working performance as he completed his 27th full game of the season in a 2-1 win over NAC Breda.

Lazar Markovic enjoyed a second straight start at Anderlecht after his eye-catching first, and the Serbian showed his new-found confidence with another bright display in a 1-0 win over Club Brugge.

Colombian full-back Anderson Arroyo featured in Real Mallorca B’s 4-0 win over Esporles, which extended his unbeaten run since joining to 10 games.

Divock Origi was the only of those abroad not to taste victory but it could have been very different.

The Belgian, a second-half sub as Wolfsburg hosted Ausgburg, should have been the match-winner—but missed a sitter, somehow heading wide from six yards out, resulting in a 0-0 draw.

On home soil, six more Reds played, including Daniel Sturridge, who made a welcome return after seven games out injured.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2018: West Bromwich Albion's Daniel Sturridge during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and West Bromwich Albion FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Sturridge made just his fourth appearance for West Brom to play the final minutes of the Baggies’ shock 1-0 win at Man United—which handed Man City the Premier League title.

Though having no time to make an impact, Sturridge will be delighted to be back and will hope for some rare luck to be able to play a part in the final four games.

It was a winless and unimpressive week for the three remaining Championship Reds.

Marko Grujic endured his first disappointing period at promotion-chasing Cardiff both, individually and collectively.

The Serbian suffered his first league defeat since joining the Bluebirds in his 12th game after a 1-0 loss at Aston Villa, and things got worse as he was an unused sub as his side beat Norwich 2-0.

Jon Flanagan had a similarly disappointing time at Bolton, with his flat display in a 2-0 loss to Millwall in midweek resulting in him being dropped from the squad against Barnsley.

Sunderland's Ovie Ejaria (Mark Kerton/EMPICS Sport)

Meanwhile, Ovie Ejaria played one of Sunderland’s two games, back in the starting XI as his side were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Norwich, before being an unused sub in a 2-2 draw at Reading.

In the lower leagues, Matty Virtue enjoyed a third straight start at Notts County, playing the full game as his side continued the promotion push with a 3-1 win at Colchester.

Andy Firth made another two starts as the academy ‘keeper continues to gain valuable experience at already relegated National League side Chester.

Firth enjoyed a historic moment in midweek as he collected his first win at senior level in a 3-2 success over Bromley, but he couldn’t follow it with another, going down 3-2 at Boreham Wood.

 

Keita Watch

Leipzig's Naby Deco Keita ahead of the Champions League soccer match between FC Porto and RB Leipzig in the Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, 01 November 2017. Photo: Jan Woitas/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

It was a hectic week for the soon-to-be-Red with three games across domestic and European competition—and a disappointing one as he went without victory.

Keita featured in both of RB Leipzig’s Bundesliga games, with a quiet display in a 4-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Monday and late cameo in a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen on Sunday.

However, Keita had better individual fortunes in the Europa League—posting a sensational assist, which sadly proved worthless as his side exited to a 5-2 loss at Marseille.

You can read about it in full here, but the Guinean set up his side’s second goal as he drove through midfield and produced a delightful reverse-flick lay-off for Jean-Kevin Augustin to finish.


Liverpool’s Loanees This Week

  • Sturridge – Played 5 mins vs. Man United
  • Markovic – Played 64 mins vs. Club Brugge
  • Origi – Played 30 mins vs. Wolfsburg
  • Grujic – Played 90 mins vs. Aston Villa & unused sub vs. Norwich
  • Flanagan – Played 90 mins vs. Millwall & left out of matchday squad vs. Barnsley
  • Wilson – Played 90 mins & scored vs. Burton & 90 mins vs. Sheffield Wednesday
  • Ejaria – Played 90 mins vs. Norwich & unused sub vs. Reading
  • Chirivella – Played 90 mins vs. NAC Breda
  • Virtue – Played 90 mins vs. Colchester
  • Firth – Played 90 mins vs. Bromley & Boreham Wood
  • Arroyo – Played 67 mins vs. Esporles
  • Keita – Played 76 mins vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 90 mins & assisted vs. Marseille & 15 mins vs. Werder Bremen
  • Whelan – Unused sub vs. Swindon & Wycombe
  • Ojo – Left out of matchday squad vs. Reading & Brentford
  • Kent – Left out of matchday squad vs. Birmingham & Middlesbrough
  • Awoniyi – Left out of matchday squad vs. Zulte-Waregem due to illness
  • Randall – No game

More from This Is Anfield

Fan Comments