Harry Wilson and Herbie Kane continued their goalscoring form while Marko Grujic impressed to make it another good weekend for Liverpool’s loanees.
The international break did nothing to disrupt the impressive run of form the borrowed Reds have enjoyed recently.
Eight Reds featured upon the club football restart, though that didn’t include Ben Woodburn, Sheyi Ojo, Allan Rodrigues or Shamal George, who all went unused.
Woodburn instead turned out for the Liverpool U23s, as George did in midweek, while Anderson Arroyo should play for the KAA Gent U21s on Monday evening.
Attacking duo Danny Ings and Ryan Kent also missed out through injury, with Connor Randall a long-term absentee.
Those who did play were once again in great form however, with two goals scored and some impressive performances produced.
Here’s the full lowdown on all the action across the weekend, starting with the goalscorers…
There were two familiar names on the scoresheet…
Wilson took no time to get back into the swing of things upon the Championship restart as he continued his excellent recent form.
The Wales international netted his fifth goal of the season for Derby, playing a key role in a hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Wilson—who was back in a left-wing role—scored his side’s first to equalise on the half-hour mark, firing home a brilliant half-volley across goal with exquisite technique.
Just another contender for @HarryWilson_'s personal Goal of the Season competition. ?
That left foot… ? pic.twitter.com/5rYH44VX80
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) November 25, 2018
It was a third goal in the last five league games for Wilson, who continues to impress for Frank Lampard’s side.
He’s certainly presenting a great case that he can have a future at Anfield.
Important away win yesterday! Not our best performance but we take the 3 points and move to the next???? @dcfcofficial https://t.co/xlbXVdquj7
— harry wilson (@harrywilson_) November 25, 2018
Meanwhile, midfielder Herbie Kane just can’t stop scoring!
The Doncaster loanee waited 18 matches for his first goal of the season, but on Saturday he netted his fourth in as many games to earn his side a point in a 1-1 draw at Barnsley.
Kane put Donny ahead against their Yorkshire rivals on 52 minutes as he arrived late into the box between two defenders and planted a great header into the far corner.
The goal was Kane’s first in the Football League, with all of his other three strikes coming in the FA Cup across two games against non-league Chorley.
Alongside the goal, Kane also stood out as Doncaster’s best player on the day and he was awarded 9/10 for a “superb” performance, in the words of the Star’s Liam Hoden.
The 20-year-old is certainly building a case to be recognised as the best ‘Kane’ in English football right now…perhaps!
Grujic impressed on his return from injury…
The Serbian made his initial comeback after eight weeks out during the international break, featuring in Hertha Berlin’s friendly draw against 2. Bundesliga side Aue.
But Grujic stepped up his road to recovery with a competitive return on Saturday, starting and completing the full 90 minutes of an entertaining 3-3 draw against Hoffenheim.
Grujic was thrown straight back into the heart of midfield, and he picked up from where he left off before the injury delivering an impressive box-to-box performance.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqk9sGhh37n/
Offensively, Grujic contributed the joint-highest amount of key passes (three) in his team, while defensively he made the most tackles (four) and interceptions (two) of any Berlin player.
It was an impressive return and Grujic will be determined to build on it to establish himself as the key player he was becoming before injury struck.
Five more Reds enjoyed match action…
Three of those were home-based loanees and it was a weekend of typically mixed fortunes both individually and collectively.
Ovie Ejaria was the only Red in action for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers, as Kent missed a third successive game with a hamstring problem.
The central midfielder helped the Gers to a 3-0 win over Livingston, producing a tidy 80-minute display in the comfortable victory.
Also in the SPL, Adam Bogdan continues as Hibernian’s No.1 and conceded twice as his side played out an entertaining 2-2 draw against Dundee on Saturday.
In the English Football League, Corey Whelan had an afternoon to forget on Saturday, with the full-back playing all of Crewe’s poor 3-0 loss to Crawley Town in League Two.
Turning attentions to the remaining European Reds, only two enjoyed game-time alongside Grujic.
In Turkey, Loris Karius was back in goal for Besiktas after a game on the bench due to a back problem, and he returned with a solid display as his side ran out 4-1 winners over Ankaragucu.
Finally, in Belgium, Taiwo Awoniyi had to settle for a fourth successive cameo outing at KAA Gent, where Colombian full-back Arroyo continues to feature for the club’s U21 side.
Awoniyi enjoyed an extended run-out playing 35 minutes against Antwerp on Sunday, but he couldn’t make the decisive impact hoped for in a 0-0 draw.
Liverpool’s Loanees This Weekend
- Harry Wilson (Derby) – 90 mins vs. Sheffield Wednesday, goal
- Ovie Ejaria (Rangers) – 80 mins vs. Livingston, goal
- Marko Grujic (Hertha Berlin) – 90 mins vs. Hoffenheim
- Adam Bogdan (Hibernian) – 90 mins vs. Dundee
- Herbie Kane (Doncaster) – 90 mins vs. Barnsley
- Corey Whelan (Crewe) – 90 mins vs. Crawley
- Loris Karius (Besiktas) – 90 mins vs. Ankaragucu
- Taiwo Awoniyi (KAA Gent) – 35 mins vs. Antwerp
Injured: Danny Ings, Ryan Kent, Connor Randall
Not in action: Ben Woodburn (played for the under-23s), Sheyi Ojo, Allan Rodrigues, Shamal George
To play Monday night: Anderson Arroyo
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