Reserves held by Rovers
Liverpool Reserves collected a point as they played out a goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers in a keenly-fought contest on Monday night.
In an end-to-end encounter at Leigh Sports Village, both sides created opportunities to clinch all three points but were unable to take them on a night on which defences came out on top.
However, the result means the Reds are unbeaten in three matches as they prepare to travel to Portugal to take on Sporting Lisbon in the NextGen Series clash next week.
Rodolfo Borrell's men made a bright start to the evening in chilly conditions as they looked to build on the momentum of two fine 3-1 victories over Chelsea and Bolton.
However, they could have fallen behind in the 11th minute when Robbie Cotton guided a volley over Tyrell Belford's crossbar after being picked out by Josh Morris's dangerous centre.
Moments later, Morris had an effort of his own zip narrowly wide of the upright following a powerful surge to the corner of the box.
Liverpool's riposte saw Conor Coady's floated ball over the top of the Blackburn rearguard reached by Adam Morgan, but the striker's attempted lob over the onrushing Jake Kean was thwarted by the goalkeeper.
Play quickly switched to the other end and Belford was required to make a fine stop to repel Morris's effort after the forward had cut inside Emmanuel Mendy.
Then, Raheem Sterling thought he had given Liverpool the lead when he latched onto a long ball and rounded Kean before sliding it into the unguarded net - but his celebrations were cut short by the raised flag of the referee's assistant.
With half-time looming, a well-worked short corner routine manufactured a chance for Coady, though the midfielder's measured effort from an acute angle was parried by Kean to keep the scoreline on level terms heading into the break.
10 minutes into the second period, the Blackburn custodian was called into action again when he was required to beat away Suso's cross-turned-shot which was destined for the bottom corner.
Next, Morgan's lofted cross into the area was spilled by Kean, presenting Michael Ngoo with a half-chance that he could only scoop over under pressure.
Belford had yet to be tested following the break, but on 58 minutes he needed to be on his toes to palm Morris's strike through a crowd of players away to safety.
In what was proving to be an open affair, Brad Smith's cross found Ngoo inside the area, but the striker could not adjust his feet quickly enough to get a shot away and the danger was crowded out by a body of Blackburn defenders.
With six minutes left on the clock, Nick Blackman shaved the top of the crossbar with a strike from the edge of the box as both sides sought a winner.
And only a sprawling block from Kean prevented Sterling from making the breakthrough when a slick one-two with Ngoo sent the diminutive winger scampering into the box but the Blackburn 'keeper was able to get his body in the way.
The resulting corner was worked out to Morgan, whose stinging drive was again fended off by the host's stopper.
In the last seconds of stoppage time, Coady dramatically had a header blocked on the line and Ngoo could only nod the rebound over as the game ended without a goal.
Liverpool Reserves: Belford, Mendy, Wisdom, Sama, Smith, Coady, Roberts, Ngoo, Suso, Sterling, Morgan. Subs: McGiveron, Stephens, Roddan, Dunn, Pelosi.