Liverpool under-18s put Jurgen Klopp‘s formation to the test and came out as 4-2 victors thanks to three different goalscorers, with a member of this summer’s pre-season tour getting on the scoresheet.
Liverpool U18s 4-2 Nottingham Forest U18s
U18 Premier League, AXA Training Centre
August 12, 2023
Goals: Danns 11′, pen 86′ Koumas 30, Kone-Doherty 90+7′; Brown (pen) 40′, Sinclair 56′
While Klopp takes his team to the capital for their opening game of the season, he will have been impressed by the events back at Kirkby.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson named a strong and exciting lineup for the visit of Nottingham Forest as the U18s season got underway, with the likes of Lewis Koumas, Jayden Danns and Trent Kone-Doherty involved.
Notably, though, they deployed the same inverted system used by the senior side, with Josh Davidson taking on Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s role with great effect.
The 17-year-old played a key role in getting the young Reds off to a flying start alongside Koumas, Danns and Kone-Doherty.
After a memorable pre-season with Klopp and Co, Koumas had an assist and a goal to his name inside 30 first-half minutes, setting up Danns for 1-0 before Kone-Doherty created the opening for his close-range strike.
Liverpool were consistently dangerous in the final third and the scoreboard would not have looked amiss with more than two goals to their name at the break.
As it was, their lead was cut in half after the referee pointed to the spot for a foul by Wellity Lucky, much to the confusion of the young Reds and those watching on.
HT: Liverpool U18s 2-1 Nottingham Forst U18s
Forest started the second half the brighter of the two teams, they were able to bypass Liverpool’s press to level the scores and for much of the half, it looked set to stay that way.
But in the final exchanges, the young Reds scored twice against a 10-man Forest – once from the penalty spot and another thanks to a brilliant curled strike from outside the penalty area.
Trent Kone-Doherty ? pic.twitter.com/93Hs3o31uk
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 12, 2023
Danns was responsible for the former after Koumas was fouled, before 17-year-old Kone-Doherty wrapped up the victory with his brilliant left-foot finish in the 97th minute.
A winning start to the new season, now let’s hope for the same for the first team and U21s.
Liverpool U18s: Morana; Davidson, Pinnington, Lucky, Gyimah; Trueman (Pitt 82′), Onanuga (Ahmed 82′), Morrison; Kone-Doherty, Danns, Koumas
Subs not used: Miscuir, Furnell-Gill, Pennington
Next match: Leeds (A) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, August 19, 12pm (BST)
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