, Savage
On Saturday, May 6th, 2023, Liverpool U21s secured second place in the Premier League 2 with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace U21s. 19-year-old midfielder James Balagizi made his return from a four-month injury to take a spot on the bench for the game. The young Reds were without Ben Doak due to illness, and had to make an early substitution when Lee Jonas was injured and Luca Stephenson had to take his place in defence. James McConnell’s goal off the bench earned all three points for Liverpool and the team finished with the league’s best defensive record, having shipped just 29 goals in their 26 games and keeping 10 clean sheets. Goalkeeper Harvey Davies contributed seven of those shutouts in 16 outings. Layton Stewart finished as Liverpool’s top scorer with 11 goals, and James Norris had the most assists with seven. After a well-deserved break, preparations for the new season will begin in late June. Some of the players could be called up to the senior setup for pre-season, while others could set their sights on loan moves.