Liverpool U18s Start PL Cup Campaign With 6-1 Defeat at Crystal Palace

Liverpool under-18s kicked off their PL Cup campaign with a 6-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, with the occasion bringing debuts for two new signings.

Crystal Palace U18s 6-1 Liverpool U18s

PL Cup, CPFC Training Ground
September 2, 2023

Goals: Mustapha 6′, King 18′, Marsh 44′ 83′ 88′, Derry 55′; Danns 45+1′

The transfer window saw four additions to the Liverpool first team, but the end of August also brought two arrivals in the academy. Amara Nallo and Trey Nyoni completed switches from West Ham and Leicester respectively, and have immediately bolstered the U18s ranks.

Saturday brought their first opportunity for competitive action, with the likes of Carter Pinnington and Josh Davidson instead joining the under-21s. Nallo and Nyoni started the trip to Crystal Palace in the PL Cup.

It came, however, in a miserable defeat that kicked off with a mistake from goalkeeper Kornel Misciur handing the high-pressing Hindolo Mustapha an early opener. A free-kick from deep then saw George King rise above Wellity Lucky to make it 2-0, before another Palace press forced an error from Nallo to gift Zach Marsh his first of a hat-trick.

Jayden Danns, fresh off his first call-up to the England under-18s, was at least able to claw one back just before half-time, firing home from Nyoni’s assist. But the Palace onslaught continued after the break, with Jesse Derry finishing well and Marsh scoring twice more to seal a 6-1 victory.

“We actually played quite well in a lot of the moments but we made quite a few errors which ultimately led to them taking their chances and scoring, so it was really difficult,” manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson assessed. Three of Palace’s goals came from sloppy passing at the back, with Miscuir caught out twice in possession.

It is certainly not a life-changing defeat, of course – losses at youth level can never be considered such – with the side fielded including seven 16-year-olds. Two of those were Nallo and Nyoni, who will be hoping to bounce back when they make their league debuts, likely against Blackburn after the international break.

Liverpool U18s: Miscuir; Pitt, Lucky, Nallo (Furnell-Gill 70′), Gyimah; Trueman (Laffey 70′), Nyoni (Onanuga 62′), Morrison; Kone-Doherty, Ahmed, Danns

Subs not used: Morana, Giblin

Next match: Blackburn (A) – U18 Premier League – Saturday, September 16, 11am (BST)

Conclusion

Liverpool under-18s got off to a disappointing start in their PL Cup campaign with a 6-1 defeat at Crystal Palace. The game saw debuts for new signings Amara Nallo and Trey Nyoni, but it was a difficult afternoon for the young Reds as they were undone by several errors at the back.

The result is not life-changing for the side, which included seven 16-year-olds, and they will be hoping to bounce back when they make their league debuts against Blackburn after the international break.