Not without good reason has Dominic Corness long been regarded as "The Wand" at Liverpool's Academy.
The 19-year-old's left foot once again helped swing the Reds towards victory as they maintained their 100% start to their UEFA Youth League campaign on Tuesday afternoon.
Corness saw a wicked first-half corner headed on by Jarell Quansah for Oakley Cannonier to score the opener before another such delivery was met after the break by Quansah for Liverpool's third in their 4-1 romp against Rangers at Kirkby.
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The midfielder, who has been at the Academy since the age of five, has become an influential figure this season for both the under-21 and U19 sides under coach Barry Lewtas, who handed Corness the captain's armband for the recent Youth League triumph over Ajax and Papa John's Trophy defeat at Rochdale.
Corness has previously admitted he looks to model his game on Liverpool senior midfielder Thiago Alcantara. Back in 2021, he said: "I love to watch Thiago really. I just try to base myself off some of the things he does. Obviously he plays for the first team and that's just the level you want to try to get to. I just try to get on the ball as much as I can."
And Lewtas has lauded the undoubted passing strength of the youngster: "Dom controls the game for us and helps us play the way we want to play. We want a midfielder who can break the game up in that position but who can also control it, and that's Dominic's standout quality, his ability to dictate the pace of the game.
"It's all down to his ability to pass. He has every pass in the locker, really. He showed that against Rangers. He can pass straight through the lines, he can switch the play. I have been really pleased with his performances so far."
Regarding the dead-ball prowess of Corness, Lewtas has revealed how the teenager's colleagues were teasing him over his deliveries earlier in the European campaign.
"We gave him a little bit of stick because in Napoli he overhit everything and he was blaming the ball, and we joked he had got to his level," he says. "But set-piece taking is a real key component of the game and if you can demonstrate your ability at that, it's a string to your bow."
As well as offering an attacking threat, Quansah - who won the U19s Euros with England in the summer - was an excellent performer at centre-back in helping keep Rangers at bay, the visitors only managing a consolation goal with the last kick of the match.
"Jarell was superb," adds Lewtas. "He is one of the older boys in the group and there is a little bit more responsibility on him to lead.
"I expect certain things when Jarell plays. He was good in possession, he was dominant in the air, he stepped in on the front foot when defending, and those are things we expect things from him. We also put a bit of responsibility on Dom and Jarell at half-time to make sure there was no complacency creeping in."
With Ajax thrashing Napoli 5-1 in the group's other game on Tuesday, Liverpool are three points clear at the summit going into next Wednesday's reverse match at Rangers. Only the first-placed team automatically qualifies for the knockout stages.
Lewtas was also encouraged by another fine showing from Bobby Clark in midfield, the teenager creating the second goal when his shot that struck the woodwork was turned in by Ben Doak.
"He seems to bring something new every game," says the Liverpool coach. "He adds that ability for us to carry the ball in midfield. We passed the ball really well in midfield, but when you have someone who can also carry the ball it can add a different dimension to your game.
"There were a few times where he was perhaps kicking himself for not shooting, but he did to help create the second goal. He gives us something different, he's not like Dominic in the way he can control the game. But having different players in midfield is a key component for us at the minute."
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