A young Liverpool U21s failed to overcome Burnley in the Lancashire Senior Cup on Tuesday, with a major hint at those involved in the Europa League instead.
Burnley U21s 3-1 Liverpool U21s
Lancashire Senior Cup, Leyland County Ground
November 29, 2023
Goals: Massengo 6′ 51′, Westley 62′; Koumas 10′
With Liverpool’s first team playing in the Europa League on Thursday nights, it has often been the case this season that midweek fixtures for the U21s have been impacted.
That was the same this week, as a host of players missed the trip to Burnley, likely with a view to involvement against LASK instead.
Marcelo Pitaluga, Luke Chambers, Calum Scanlon and James McConnell were all absent, along with the returning pair of Conor Bradley and Kaide Gordon.
Last week, Jurgen Klopp suggested that both Bradley and Gordon would build up game time with the U21s as they recover from long-term layoffs, but they are seemingly set to train with the senior side instead.
Those absences left Barry Lewtas in a familiar position of naming a very young side, including 16-year-olds Trey Nyoni and Carter Pinnington plus 17-year-olds Amara Nallo, Francis Gyimah and Trent Kone-Doherty.
The young Reds went behind within six minutes, with Han-Noah Massengo firing in from the edge of the penalty area after an initial recovery from Pinnington.
But 18-year-old Lewis Koumas levelled the scores soon after, the Wales youth international vindicating Lewtas’ pre-match praise as he latched onto Kone-Doherty’s long pass, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home.
Both Koumas and Nyoni had chances to put Liverpool ahead before the break, but it was Massengo who struck next to regain the lead for Burnley.
Then a rare mistake from Nallo handed the Clarets their third, with the centre-back caught in possession in the box before Joe Westley converted.
There was still hope late on, with a mazy dribble from Nyoni setting up a chance for himself, only to scuff his effort comfortably into the goalkeeper’s clutches.
Koumas even fired in what looked to be a late consolation, but the striker was ruled out for a tight offside.
Defeat means Liverpool exit the Lancashire Senior Cup at the first time of asking, denying them a meeting with Everton in the next round.
The Reds lifted the cup as recently as last year, when a side featuring Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Rhys Williams, Tyler Morton, Leighton Clarkson and Owen Beck beat Burnley in the final.
Liverpool U21s: O.Kelly; Miles, Pinnington, Nallo, Gyimah; Spearing (K.Kelly 72′), Frauendorf (Danns 65′), Nyoni; Kone-Doherty (Pitt 83′), Koumas, Musialowski
Subs not used: Poytress, Furnell-Gill
Next match: Sunderland (A) – PL2 – Sunday, December 3, 2pm (GMT)
