CARABAO CUP FINAL

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Wednesday, August 28, 2024: Liverpool's Kareem Ahmed during the Under-18's Premier League Cup match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Arsenal FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Arsenal won 5-3. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Landmark day for 2 youngsters as Liverpool U18s lose to Newcastle despite early goal

Two Liverpool youngsters made what could be landmark appearances as the under-18s lost 3-1 to Newcastle despite Kareem Ahmed’s early goal.

Newcastle U18s 3-1 Liverpool U18s

U18 Premier League, Whitley Park
February 22, 2025

Goals: Mills 51′, Wooster 59′ 76′; Ahmed 5′


After last weekend’s 5-0 defeat at Blackburn, Liverpool U18s were looking to bounce back on their trip to Newcastle, and they started in the correct manner to do so.

Only four minutes had elapsed when Ahmed finished from inside the box for the forward’s fourth goal of the season.

Liverpool’s performance reached an early peak, though, and while they held their own until the break, the second half belonged to Newcastle.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 24, 2024: Liverpool's Kareem Ahmed during the Under-18's Premier League North match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Middlesbrough FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Middlesbrough won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

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Michael Mills was the player who brought the hosts level, before Kacey Wooster’s brace – the second of which came from the penalty spot – saw Newcastle run out 3-1 winners.

While he will have been disappointed to be on the losing side, the match was a memorable one in the young career of Harvey Owen who started his first game at centre-back for the under-18s.

Fellow 16-year-old, AJ Yeguo was also involved, coming on for his first under-18s appearance in red. Yeguo is a Polish youth international who tends to play in midfield.

After the match, coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson told Liverpool’s official website: “There’s lots of positives from the game but we need to start finding a way to make ourselves harder to score against and then with that take our chances in the opposition box.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Wednesday, August 28, 2024: Liverpool's Under-18's head coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson during the Under-18's Premier League Cup match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Arsenal FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. Arsenal won 5-3. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“We just have to be harder to beat. It’s a bit of a tricky spell at the moment. We’re doing everything we can to learn the lessons required.

“There were a few U16s with us today and I thought the younger ones did really well. Hopefully the older ones in the team can help them and we can give them a platform moving forward.”


Liverpool U18s: Hall; Lonmeni, Airoboma, Owen, Williams; Ayman, Upton; Bradshaw (Yeguo 88′), Ahmed (O’Connor 79′), Martin (Onanuga 73′); Lambie

Subs not used: DJ Bernard, Harry Evers

Next Match: Leeds U18s (H) – U18 Premier League – March 1, 12pm (GMT)