Liverpool under-21s bounced back to winning ways as they earned a victory over Manchester City.
The young Reds delivered a 2-0 triumph at the AXA Training Centre on Sunday. Trent Kone-Doherty opened the scoring for Barry Lewtas’ side in the 61st minute. It was the 17-year-old winger’s 13th goal of the season.
Fifteen minute later, Rhys Williams doubled the advantage when he headed home from a corner. The centre-back endured a difficult first half of the campaign on loan at Aberdeen where he made just one appearance and then had a move to Port Vale cut short after suffering an injury.
What’s more, Isaac Mabaya made his first outing since September The right-back is well regarded by the academy coaching staff and he caught the eye when part of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s pre-season trip to the Far East ahead of the 2022-23 season. Mabaya played in games against Manchester United and Crystal Palace and earned praise from Klopp.
The Liverpool manager said: “You have to show some bravery to get there, everybody was nervous when they had to go there, that’s normal. But the young kids, the self-confidence they have at that young age, I think that’s a really good sign for the team as well.
“How the team let these boys grow next to them. Seventeen years old, Isaac, a little mic check! I couldn’t deal with that. So, really cool, cool moments the whole night.”
Elite performance coach Vitor Matos said on Mabaya: “Isaac, his physical attributes are really, really good and he’s someone that can really give life to the right side of a team.”
Mabaya made three appearances for the under-21s at the start of the season before his frustrating injury problems. However, the 19-year-old came off the bench for the final seven minutes against City as Liverpool kept up their hopes of a top-four finish in Premier League 2. Mabaya will now be hoping to continue stepping up his recovery.
Lewtas told the club’s website: “It’s obviously a positive for him. He’s had his injury issues and he’s been training for a while now. We just want to make sure that we’re giving him the right opportunity to get back playing, finish the season with us, but obviously really kick-start into next season as well.
“It was brilliant to get him on and we put him on in a really important part of the game as well. He’ll be over the moon.”
