AcademyU21s match report: Liverpool beat Everton 4-0 in Premier League 2 opener

Goals in the early stages of the second half from Mateusz Musialowski and Terence Miles were added to by late Tom Hill and Bobby Clark strikes as the young Reds were rewarded for a dominant performance that also saw them hit the woodwork twice.

Barry Lewtas’ side assumed control of the contest immediately and Oakley Cannonier almost opened the scoring nine minutes in, the striker hitting the post after he’d been found by Calum Scanlon’s cross.

Everton goalkeeper and captain Billy Crellin was busy throughout the first half and he denied Musialowski and Clark as the home team piled on the pressure.

Scanlon and Jarell Quansah had also gone close before Clark fired an effort off the crossbar after the influential Scanlon had fed the No.10 inside the penalty area.

Young Reds skipper Luca Stephenson was next to force Crellin into action with a deflected hit from the edge of the box, and the Blues’ stopper then thwarted Cannonier at point-blank range prior to besting Stephenson in a one-on-one.

There was still time for Musialowski to blaze a shot over the bar once he had been put through on goal by Stephenson, and Liverpool’s failure to take their chances was nearly punished shortly before the interval.

Everton counter-attacked and Marcelo Pitaluga did superbly well to turn away Francis Okoronkwo’s drive.

PHOTOS

By John Powell

Lewtas’ team didn’t have to wait long after the restart to finally make the breakthrough, though.

Clark was the creator, the No.10 cutting inside from the left and dribbling past three opponents before locating Musialowski with a lovely reverse pass, with the Pole then rounding Crellin and finishing.

And, by the hour mark, Liverpool were two goals to the good thanks to a fine move that began by Clark winning the ball back in the left-back position. James McConnell then delivered a pass to Musialowski, who paused before slipping in the overlapping Miles, who smashed home powerfully.

Crellin somehow stretched to prevent Scanlon’s intended cross from going in and making it 3-0 soon after but, eight minutes from time, Hill, returning from long-term injury, did just that. Clark was again instrumental as he fed Hill, who held off his marker and curled into the bottom corner.

And Clark got the goal his performance merited in stoppage time, as he dispatched an excellent finish following a flowing move down Liverpool’s right between Musialowski and Melkamu Frauendorf.

TEAM

Liverpool U21s: Pitaluga, Miles (Mabaya, 65), Quansah, Chambers, Scanlon (Hill, 72), McConnell (Pilling, 77), Stephenson, Norris, Clark, Musialowski, Cannonier (Frauendorf, 65).

Unused sub: Mrozek.

NEXT UP

The Reds’ U21s are back in action on Friday night, when they travel to Derby County for their second Premier League 2 game of the season.

The match at the Rams’ Training Centre is scheduled to kick off at 7pm BST.