Manchester City EDS manager Simon Davies believes his side deserved a draw from their Premier League 2 trip to Liverpool.

Paolo Fernandes opened the scoring for City before Ben Woodburn’s brace put the hosts ahead. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts got the Blues back on level terms and could have won the match before Liverpool’s Matthew Virtue scored the final minute winner.

Liverpool’s side included a number of players who have featured for Jurgen Klopp’s first team this season and Davies believes his side fought well against their experienced opponents.

He said: “To concede in the final minute was disappointing and I thought a draw would have been a fair result. They had some players on show and that’s great. The more that happens for our boys is brilliant and the better it is for their development.”

“It wasn’t a nice ending to the game but it was very open and very difficult to battle against the elements. We’ve got one more game left in the season and it’s up to them to play the way they have throughout the year.”

The defeat ended City’s hopes of lifting the Premier League 2 title with leaders Everton now six points ahead with just one match left to play.

Despite praising the effort from his side, Davies did insist that his team must take their chances if they are to guarantee second place in the table when they face Southampton on 5 May.

“The one thing we spoke about was not being clinical enough and maybe their manager would have said the same,” he said.

“Some of our sloppy play lead to us losing the ball from basic passes and we got countered on. It was a game where we could have took our chances a little better and that would have made a big difference.”

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City lined up in a 3-4-3 formation that has become increasingly prominent throughout the season but Davies stated that 4-3-3 is still first choice throughout the club’s young sides.

“All the way through the academy we play 4-3-3 but with the Youth Cup final on Wednesday, we’ve got some players missing from our usual backline. It’s not a system we’re against playing and it gives us a different option but tonight it was more the way it fell on us rather than a tactical change.”

City’s Premier League 2 side welcome Southampton on 5 May for their final Premier League 2 match of the season. Head to the ticket office for more information.

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