LoanWatchCollage

Brewster’s fantastic fourth & Ojo’s missed opportunity – Liverpool FC Loan Watch

Rhian Brewster was the standout performer among Liverpool’s loanees as he scored an excellent fourth goal of the season for Swansea.

Game time continues to be in frustratingly short supply for the borrowed Reds and the weekend saw only six loanees play.

Fortunes were typically mixed for those who did enjoy match action, but there was one standout performer who continued his goalscoring form.

Here’s the full lowdown on the action, starting with the man who hit the net.

 

A fantastic fourth goal for Brewster…

CARDIFF, WALES - Sunday, January 12, 2020: Swansea City's Rhian Brewster during the Football League Championship match between Cardiff City FC and Swansea City FC at the Cardiff City Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool’s teenage striker has taken no time to showcase his talents on the Championship stage since making the six-month move to Swansea.

And Brewster gave his latest demonstration by scoring his fourth goal for the club in a 2-2 draw against Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Just moments after missing a simple tap-in, the 19-year-old made no mistake with his second chance and levelled the score at 1-1 on the stroke of half-time with a brilliant finish.

Fed an awkward ball at the left corner of the penalty box, Brewster took a perfect first touch to set himself and slammed a rasping low drive into the net.

His work wasn’t done there as he also played a key role in Swansea’s second—exchanging a neat one-two with Jordan Garrick who drew a foul to win a penalty, which Andre Ayew converted.

It was an excellent goal and all-round performance from a Brewster, who is brimming with confidence and taking full advantage of his chance to shine.

He is certainly making a great impression in south Wales, with the Swansea faithful loving his work so far.

 

A big opportunity missed for Sheyi Ojo…

Sheyi Ojo of Rangers during the Scottish Premier League match between Hearts and Rangers at Tynecastle Park on 20 October, 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto)

Ojo had become something of a forgotten man among the loanees, having not made an appearance for Rangers since mid-January after falling out of favour.

Last week saw the 22-year-old make a welcome return to the fold as he featured twice for Steven Gerrard’s side with successive sub outings across European and domestic competition.

Ojo’s comeback cameo came in Rangers’ 1-0 Europa League triumph over Portuguese side Braga, in which he entered late to help his side see the tie out to book a place in the last 16.

After that reintegration, he was handed a big opportunity to make his mark with an extended hour-long outing in the Gers’ Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at Hearts on Saturday.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard during the Europa League, Qualifying Round One, First Leg match at Ibrox, Glasgow. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday July 12, 2018. See PA story SOCCER Rangers. Photo credit should read: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

But the Reds loanee failed to take the chance to shine, producing an ineffective performance as Rangers exited after an embarrassing 1-0 loss to the Scottish Premiership’s bottom club.

The struggle to immediately find form is understandable given Ojo will be lacking an element of confidence having been left out of involvement in three of the previous four games prior.

Two sub appearances is hardly a perfect platform to be able to excel and rediscover top performance level.

However, such moments need to be taken in a situation like Ojo’s, and the harsh reality is this latest outing is unlikely to have convinced Gerrard that he can re-establish himself in the Gers’ ranks.

 

Contrasting success for the final four…

Nathaniel Phillips (VFB Stuttgart), (Image: Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON/DPA/PA Images)

Starting in Europe, Nat Phillips tasted defeat in 2.Bundesliga for the first time in 2020.

The centre-back played all 90 minutes of Stuttgart’s 2-0 loss to Greuther Furth, which ended a run of three straight wins and clean sheets for the in-form defender.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty over his long-term future Loris Karius continues as Besiktas No. 1, and he was in solid form on his 30th appearance of the season in a 2-1 win at Alanyaspor on Friday night.

On home soil, it was a busy week for Ovie Ejaria who played back-to-back full games for Reading.

The creative midfielder first played in a 3-0 loss to relegation-battling Wigan, but followed that with a much-improved display in a 2-0 win over Barnsley on Saturday.

Finally, academy ‘keeper Dan Atherton helped Marine make an immediate return to winning ways, featuring between the sticks in a 3-1 victory over Droylsden on Saturday


Liverpool’s Loanees at the Weekend

Ovie Ejaria, Reading (Mike Egerton/PA Archive/PA Images)

  • Loris Karius (Besiktas) – 90 mins vs. Alanyaspor
  • Nat Phillips (Stuttgart) – 90 mins vs. Greuther Furth
  • Ovie Ejaria (Reading) – 90 mins vs. Barnsley
  • Rhian Brewster (Swansea) – 90 mins vs. Blackburn, goal
  • Sheyi Ojo (Rangers) – 57 mins vs. Hearts
  • Dan Atherton (Marine) – 90 mins vs. Droylsden

Injured: Herbie Kane, Kamil Grabara, Ben Woodburn, Isaac Christie-Davies
Not in action: Harry Wilson, Marko Grujic, Rhys Williams, Taiwo Awoniyi, Anderson Arroyo