AcademyU21s match report: Liverpool score seven in Premier League 2 defeat of Arsenal

Kieran Morrison took the leading individual honours with a fine hat-trick, but in truth this was a display in which all of the Reds played their part.

Elsewhere on the scoresheet, captain Amaro Nallo rifled in a beauty from almost 25 yards, Will Wright grabbed his first goal at the level and Tommy Pilling arrived late in the box for a classic midfielder's finish.

Finally, Keyrol Figueroa followed last week's double with a penalty to wrap it all up in dominant fashion.

Good displays were everywhere, though, with Josh Davidson's energy from right-back an inspiring presence and Kyle Kelly influential in the midfield.

Rob Page's side started as they meant to go on and were ahead within three minutes.

A good press forced a poor ball from Arsenal goalkeeper Remy Mitchell that was intercepted by Carter Pinnington. He fed Wright, who played in Morrison and the winger cut inside and finished with a calm assurance for his first.

The lead was doubled on six minutes with Morrison again involved. His cross was blocked but Michael Laffey recovered it with a lovely ball into the middle as he swivelled. Pilling arrived with a perfectly timed run to turn it home.

Only the width of the post stopped the hosts going three up a minute later, Trent Kone-Doherty grazing the outside of the goalframe with a slightly deflected strike.

Morrison also fired over after a crunching tackle from Kelly had the Kirkby Academy crowd purring their approval.

The visitors did not trouble the Liverpool goal until almost 20 minutes had gone, the lively Charles Sagoe running at defenders before firing a shot that Armin Pecsi saved low to his right.

Pinnington made a superb block as Arsenal briefly found a foothold in the game, but it was not long before Kone-Doherty was executing a lovely give-and-go with Kelly to race away. He shot too close to Mitchell, however.

Liverpool's third did materialise just after the half-hour mark and what a strike it was.

Pinnington won a challenge on the edge of the Arsenal box and Reds captain Nallo took a casual swing with his right foot to smash home from 25 yards out and almost effectively end the contest at 3-0.

There was still time to extend the lead before the break, though, Wright grabbing his first U21s goal by finishing a fine team move. Morrison switched play to the left and Luke Chambers combined with Kone-Doherty for the latter to tee up Wright, who made no mistake.

Any comeback from Arsenal looked unlikely and so it proved as Liverpool added another two goals within 10 minutes of the restart.

The first, and fifth overall, came from an Arsenal corner. Pinnington sent Kone-Doherty away with his clearance, the flying winger sprinted clear to cross for Morrison and he grabbed his second with the minimum of fuss.

And Morrison's hat-trick duly arrived on 55 minutes, Mitchell getting his clearance wrong under a challenge and the Northern Ireland youth international coolly curling his third into the corner with his left foot.

The Reds had further chances to add to the scoring, with Wright just denied as he tried to reach Pinnington's through ball and Laffey hitting the post after a lovely run from Kelly.

A clean sheet was now the key target for Page's charges and they worked hard to maintain it. Pinnington made a fine block as Sagoe threatened again, while Pecsi made a wonderful one-handed save to deny substitute Maalik Hashi.

But this was Liverpool's day and they completed the scoring with 12 minutes left as substitute Figueroa, fresh from an injury-time winner last week, stroked home a penalty won by the persistence of fellow substitute Clae Ewing.

Team

Liverpool: Pecsi, Davidson, Pinnington, Nallo, Chambers (Ewing, 62), Kelly (Onanuga, 78), Morrison, Pilling, W. Wright (Figueroa, 62), Laffey, Kone-Doherty (Bradshaw, 67).

Unused sub: Misciur.

Next up

The young Reds return to the Academy next Sunday (January 25) for a league meeting with Leeds United.

Kick-off is 2pm GMT and the game will be shown live on All Red Video.