Trey Nyoni scored as Liverpool U21s lost 2-1 against Leicester U21s in Kirkby, but arguably the bigger story was about who didn’t take part in the match.
Liverpool U21s 1-2 Leicester U21s
Premier League 2 (2), Kirkby Academy
August 24, 2024
Goals: Nyoni 40′; Richards 12′ 59′
With the final week of the transfer window upon us, we expect more Liverpool youngsters to leave on loan or permanently before the August 30 deadline.
We got further confirmation of this when Ben Doak, Kaide Gordon, Stefan Bajcetic, James McConnell, Owen Beck, Marcelo Pitaluga, Calum Scanlon and Tyler Morton were all left out of the team to play Leicester.
This meant coach Barry Lewtas had to select a young side to play their second Premier League 2 match of the season.
This team still included the likes of Nyoni, Amara Nallo and Kieran Morrison, though, such is the strength of Liverpool’s academy.
Despite the relative inexperience of Liverpool’s side, they held their own in the first half and didn’t fold when they went behind due to an Amani Richards header.
Instead, they worked their way into the match and equalised thanks to Nyoni’s calm finish as Liverpool capitalised on an error at the back from the visitors, five minutes before the break.
The first-half action didn’t stop there and soon after, Leicester were awarded a controversial penalty.
Thankfully, in Liverpool’s eyes, justice was served as Kornel Misciur saved to his left from Sammy Braybrooke’s spot-kick.
Half time: Liverpool U21s 1-1 Leicester U21s
With Harvey Elliott watching from the sidelines, Liverpool again went behind on the hour mark as Richards scored his second for the Foxes.
This time it came as a result of a mistake from Liverpool’s Wellity Lucky – he lost the ball to Richards who dribbled around Misciur before tucking the ball away into the empty net.
With 20 minutes left, Lewtas brought on Michael Laffey, Terence Miles and talented attacker Trent Kone-Doherty for Nyoni, Lee Jonas and Ranel Young.
Morrison, too, came off 10 minutes later due to an apparent injury niggle – he was replaced by Kyle Kelly.
In the end, midfielder Dominic Corness came closest to equalising for Liverpool but Leicester held out and Liverpool were made to pay for a costly second-half error.
Their next match is a much greater test for the young Reds as they travel to Crewe in the EFL Trophy.
If the more senior under-21s, like Doak and Bajcetic, are still on Merseyside come Tuesday, it would be a surprise not to see them left out again against the League Two outfit.
Liverpool U21s: Misciur; Jonas (Miles 73′), Lucky, Nallo, Norris; Corness, Pilling, Nyoni (Laffey 73′); Morrison (Kelly 82′), Hill, Young (Kone-Doherty 72′)
Subs not used: Trueman
Next Match: Crewe (A) – EFL Trophy – August 27, 7.30pm (BST)
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