Liverpool Under-21s came from behind to claim local-bragging rights against Everton on Saturday afternoon.
Ben Doak was the match-winner as he made his first start for the young Reds, who also named summer signing Calvin Ramsay in their starting XI, after Jake Cain had pounced on a defensive error to cancel out Stan Mills’ early opener.
Full of confidence from their 6-0 victory over Hartlepool United in the Papa John’s Trophy in midweek, Everton started brightly at the LFC Academy and had Harvey Davies to curse for not building a comfortable lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
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The Liverpool goalkeeper denied Mills at his near post after the wide man had been played in by Isaac Price, before getting down well to tip a Tom Cannon effort behind after finding himself one-on-one.
However, he was unable to prevent his side falling behind from the following set-piece as Mills side-footed home at the far post after find himself left unmarked.
Despite their slow start, Liverpool responded well after falling behind and nearly equalised through a corner of their own after good play from Ramsay and Doak won the set-piece. However, Jarrell Quansah was unable to hit the target as he headed over the bar after meeting Dominic Corness’ delivery.
Zan-Luk Leban was called into action soon after as he denied Mateusz Musialowski, starting upfront, with his feet, following smart footwork from the young Pole in the box.
Doak and Musialowski would continue to cause Everton problems as they ran at their defence, only to see low crosses cut out and shots blocked on more than one occasion, before Lee Jonas headed over from a corner.
Luca Stephenson would shoot straight at Leban before Melkamu Frauendorf scuffed an effort after cutting inside as Liverpool pushed for an equaliser, while Davies denied Everton once more at the other end as he pounced at Charlie Whitaker’s feet.
Liverpool were level on the half-hour mark and had an Everton defensive error to thank for it as captain Jake Cain pounced on Reece Welch’s weak backpass before lofting the ball over Leban into the back of the net.
Buoyed by being back on level terms, Liverpool continued to push forward only to be denied by Leban, with the goalkeeper produced a fantastic double save before tipping Doak’s fierce strike over the bar.
He’d then keep out a tame Ramsay strike, before denying Doak again with his feet. Musialowski would see his rebound blocked, with the former Celtic man reacting quickest to the loose ball to round Leban, but he was unable to beat the Everton bodies on the line.
At the other end, Cannon would shoot straight at Davies as the sides went in level at the break.
Ramsay was replaced at half-time as he continued his injury comeback, but that didn’t stop Liverpool’s rhythm as they started the second half well.
Leban was kept busy after the restart as a deflected Frauendorf shot had him scrambling before he palmed a strike from McConnell behind.
The second half grew increasingly physical as overzealous challenges flew in in true derby fashion, with Cannon booked for one foul too many to his great displeasure, with Stephenson frustrated at repeatedly being on the receiving end.
Quansah and Doak both had shots blocked in quick succession as Liverpool continued to push forward, with a last-ditch sliding tackle from Mackenzie Hunt denying the latter after he burst into the box, having been picked out by Musialowski after a well-executed ‘Zidane turn’.
Everton would introduce Francis Okoronkwo was part of a treble substitution midway through the second half as they tried to wrestle back control of the game, and he nearly made an immediate impact, only to curl his shot narrowly wide.
But rather than change the tide of the game, Liverpool got in behind the Blues on the counter-attack to take the lead midway through the second half as Doak ran onto Corness’ long ball before beating Leban with a deflected effort.
The former Celtic man nearly had a second soon after only to shoot straight the keeper, before Cain saw an effort deflected wide, before Everton rallied late on as they searched in vain for an equaliser.
Cannon shot wide from the edge of the box while Davies dived full-stretch to keep across a curling strike from Mills in stoppage-time, as Liverpool held on to clinch all three points.
Liverpool starting XI: Davies; Ramsay (McConnell, 46), Quansah, Jonas, Chambers; Stephenson, Corness, Cain; Doak (Miles, 90), Musialowski (Koumas, 86), Frauendorf.
Unused subs: Kelly, Spearing.
Everton starting XI: Leban; John, Welch, Campbell, Hunt; Quirk (Dkankpata, 71), Price; Mills (Okoronkwo, 71), Whitaker (Kouyate, 71), McAllister; Cannon.
Unused subs: Barrett, Mallon.
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