Three goals, one assist & a debut on stunning week for loanees – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

August 20, 2018
Ben Twelves

Liverpool’s loanees were on fire this week, with three Reds finding the net, one registering an assist and another making a debut.

It’s been a positive start to the season but the borrowed Reds really exploded into form this week.

10 of the 11 loanees featured—only Allan Rodrigues went without action—and it was a seven days full of productivity with goals, assists, good performances and solid amounts of action.

Here’s the full lowdown on a great week for the loaned Reds.

Three Reds were on fire in front of goal…

Danny Ings made a positive first impression on his Southampton bow last week, but his full debut was even more impressive he opened his account for the Saints.

A 2-1 loss to Everton meant it wasn’t the dream full debut for Ings but there was still a moment for the striker to savour as he got off the mark for his boyhood club.

Just 54 minutes into his first start, Ings scored with a real poacher’s effort, turning home inside the six-yard box to get the Saints back in the game.

Ings should have scored even earlier but he somehow hit the bar with the goal gaping; however, he will still be pleased to have got his St Mary’s career up and running.

After a quiet start to life at KAA Gent, Taiwo Awoniyi rediscovered his goal-scoring touch.

The Nigerian netted his first goal for his new club, and first-ever in European competition, in a 3-1 Europa League win over Jagiellonia, which saw Gent reach the fourth qualifying round.

With Gent boasting a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Awoniyi strengthened his side’s grip on the tie as he opened the scoring with a powerful close range header.

More impressive was that the goal came in a starring overall display from Awoniyi who was relentless in leading the line and could have had a hat-trick with better finishing.

Awoniyi followed his goal-scoring display with another 45-minute outing against Eupen on Sunday, but he didn’t find the net in the 3-2 win.

The final goal-scorer was also one of the most unlikely: academy full-back Anderson Arroyo.

The Colombian—back for the next 12 months of his 18-month loan with Real Mallorca’s B side—enjoyed a moment to remember as he scored his first goal for the club.

It was made even more special as it proved to be the winner, with Arroyo rising highest to head home from a corner which earned a 1-0 win in their league opener with Poblense.

? Resum del @RCDMbase B-@udpoblense via @EsportsIB3

?? 1-0. Gol d’Anderson Arroyo#ÉsUnSentiment
https://t.co/59R408FnWL

— Real Mallorca (@RCD_Mallorca) August 18, 2018

Harry Wilson posted his first assist of the season…

It has been a slow start for the Wales international at Derby but Wilson showed signs of finding the form that saw him shine at Hull last season.

Wilson was influential as Frank Lampard’s side beat Oldham 2-0 in the League Cup, with the youngster claiming his first assist for the Rams.

Wilson delivered a pin-point in-swinging free-kick into the box where Fikayo Tomori converted to put Derby 1-0 up on the night.

Wilson was frustratingly denied the chance to build on that positive outing as a muscle injury ruled him out against Millwall on Saturday.

Six more Reds enjoyed pleasing spells of game time…

After waiting four games to make one start, two came along in the space of a week for Ben Woodburn at Sheffield United.

The first came in a 5-4 penalty shoot-out loss to Hull in the League Cup in midweek—in which Woodburn played the full game and scored his spot-kick.

Woodburn followed that with a full league debut, as Norwich arrived at Bramall Lane on return to the Championship schedule.

What should have been a momentous occasion didn’t quite go as hoped, with a poor first-half performance, featuring at the top of a midfield diamond, seeing Woodburn subbed at half-time.

Herbie Kane’s impressive debut last week earned the midfielder back-to-back starts at League One Doncaster.

Kane followed his eye-catching bow with another excellent performance to help Donny reach the second round of the League Cup with a 2-1 win at Scunthorpe.

And Kane kept his place to make a third successive start on return to league action against Burton Albion, playing an hour of a 1-0 loss.

There was one debutant this week and it was Shamal George who made his bow for Tranmere.

It was a tough first outing coming against Championship outfit Blackburn in the League Cup, and it ended in a 3-1 defeat with George unable to do anything about the goals.

That was George’s only outing as he dropped back to the bench against Swindon on Saturday.

All three Scottish Premier League loanees enjoyed match action.

Game time and valuable experience continues to come thick and fast for Ovie Ejaria and Ryan Kent, who both featured heavily for Rangers.

Ejaria made back-to-back starts—the first in a goalless draw at Maribor, which secured a 3-1 aggregate win and progression to the Europa League fourth qualifying round.

A solid 70-minute display against the Slovenian side saw Ejaria keep his shirt and play the full game as the Gers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 on Sunday to reach the Scottish League cup quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Kent made one start and one sub appearance, coming off the bench to replace Ejaria in the Maribor second-leg before joining his Anfield teammate in playing all 90 minutes of the cup win.

Finally, Adam Bogdan recovered from injury to feature in Hibernian’s crucial second leg at Molde, but the Hungarian couldn’t prevent Hibs’ Europa League dreams ending with a 3-0 loss.

Bogdan then missed Sunday’s cup tie with Ross County with the ‘keeper seemingly still struggling with a hip injury.