Despite Liverpool’s senior team struggling, there was a glimmer of hope from the academy. Two young Reds stars shone by scoring for the under-18s in their U18 Premier League Cup victory against Newcastle. Josh Abe, a 15-year-old winger who has recently emerged at this level, and 17-year-old forward Josh Sonni-Lambie both found the back of the net in the 2-1 win at Little Benton Academy.

Although Liverpool had already been knocked out of the competition after previous losses to Aston Villa and Leicester, Simon Wiles’s team were playing for pride. They managed to secure a two-goal lead before half-time. Sonni-Lambie assisted the first goal, setting up Abe, who has reportedly attracted interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, to score his third goal in the past five weeks.

Sonni-Lambie then scored his 12th goal of the season to double the lead with a right-footed strike from outside the box.

Newcastle’s Matthew Taylor managed to claw one back with 20 minutes left on the clock and despite Liverpool’s Haydn Murray-Holme being sent off in extra time for a second yellow card, the visitors held on to secure the win and finish third in Group B.

Liverpool’s FA Youth Cup third-round match against Charlton is set to take place in Kirkby on Saturday, December 13 (kick-off 3pm).

Several of Liverpool’s U18s are set to feature when a U19 side faces PSV Eindhoven in their second-to-last UEFA Youth League opening stage match at the Academy on Wednesday (kick-off 2pm).

Liverpool U18s: Hall; O’Connor, C Williams (Ayman 64), Cisse, Owen, Upton (Hickman 71), Abe, Murray-Holme, Sonni-Lambie, Farkas (Hawkins 82), Lee Forrester (Inglethorpe 71). Sub: Bernard.