City's EDS lose out to Liverpool in PL2 opener

After a period of Liverpool pressure, Dominic Corness gave the hosts a first-half lead with a low shot into the far post that beat City ‘keeper Jack Wint.

However, the City youngsters fought back into the game, when captain, Jacob Wright, curled in a sublime shot from outside the box to draw us level before the break.

Straight after the break it was the turn of Liverpool’s captain, Thomas Hill, to score as he fired in from a tight angle to restore the hosts lead, before James Norris headed in Liverpool’s third from a corner to seal victory.

WHAT HAPPENED

On the opening weekend of the new Premier League 2 season, Ben Wilkinson’s first assignment as EDS lead coach was a testing trip down the M62 to face Liverpool.

The opening exchanges saw players enjoy spells of possession with both teams pressing each other intensely.

It was Liverpool’s Thomas Hill who had the first sight of goal. Jack Wint‘s central pass to Jacob Wright was intercepted by Hill, but his shot was tame and comfortably saved by the City ‘keeper.

Hill pressed high up again to pressure Matty Henderson-Hall at right back, he went through on-on-one against Wint, but the City shot stopper came out on top, denying the young Liverpool captain with his foot.

It was the hosts who then struck first on 24 minutes.

James Norris had the ball out wide on the left and played it centrally to Dominic Corness, who beat Wint with a low shot across the box from outside 18-yard-box to give Liverpool the lead.

City tried to play themselves back into the game, creating dangerous opportunities from wide areas.

A neat passing sequence then ended with Emilio Lawrence free inside the box, his shot however, was well saved by Liverpool keeper, Harvey Davies.

However, just before half-time, City got themselves back into the match with a sensational strike, skipper Wright unleashing a curler from 20 yards out into the top right hand corner of the Liverpool net.

Liverpool came out of the traps at the start of the second-half. Hill received the ball in the penalty area and from a tight angle on the left he powered a shot in to the roof of the net to restore the hosts’ lead.

City sought to summon up a quickfire response as Emilio Lawrence’s cross was nearly put into the net,  Wellity Lucky sliding in and being grateful to see the ball loop off the bar onto the top of the net, before Justin Oboavwoduo then had a header saved.

It was the Merseysiders though who struck again, and from a corner they found themselves two goals in front, as James Norris leapt highest and nodded in past Wint to seal the points.

HOW WE LINED UP

Ben Wilkinson began the new Premier League 2 campaign with Jack Wint starting in goal, with a back four of Matty Henderson-Hall, Lakyle Samuel, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Seb Naylor protecting him.

Jacob Wright shielded the defence, with Jaden Heskey and Divine Mukasa pushing higher up in the midfield.

Justin Oboavwoduo led the attacking line-up, with Farid Alfa-Ruprecht and Emilio Lawrence closely supporting him on the wings.

Liverpool Under-21s

XI | Davies, Jonas (65’ Miles), Norris, Nallo, Lucky, Corness, Morrison, Laffey, Young, Hill (C), Pilling

Unused Subs | Misciur, Pennington, Kelly, Figueroa

Manchester City EDS

XI | Wint, Henderson-Hall, Samuel, Simpson-Pusey, Naylor, Wright (C), Alfa-Ruprecht, Heskey, Oboavwoduo, Mukasa (65’ Dickson), Lawrence 

Unused Subs | Alleyne, Brits, Okeke

WHAT’S NEXT

Next time out sees Wilkinson lead City’s EDS side into the EFL Trophy. Our campaign begins with a trip to Paul Cook’s Chesterfield, with kick-off set for 19:00pm (UK) on Tuesday, 20 August.