Liverpool Academy Weekly Round-Up: Reds sign Tony Gallacher, U18s crash out of the FA Youth Cup
It’s been another busy week at the Kirkby Academy, with Liverpool singing a new defender, as well as the U18s and U23s having mixed results in cup action.
BIRKENHEAD, ENGLAND – Wednesday, September 13, 2017: Liverpool Under 18’s manager Steven Gerrard shares a joke with Under 23 manager Neil Critchley during the UEFA Youth League Group E match between Liverpool and Sevilla at Prenton Park. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)
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Liverpool have made their second signing on the January transfer window, with the Anfield club bringing in Falkirk defender Tony Gallacher for a £200,000 fee.
The left-back, 18, has been on trial at Melwood in recent weeks, and has impressed the Reds’ bosses, but will be sent straight into the U23s set-up after making 26 appearances for his club.
Liverpool hope that he will develop just as much as Andrew Robertson since his arrival to Merseyside, but the transfer does put the development of U18s’ left-back Adam Lewis in jeopardy.
Despite a new arrival, U23s manager Neil Critchley has admitted that he could lose a few more of his players in the last week of the January transfer window, including Harry Wilson, Ovie Ejaria and Lloyd Jones.
BIRKENHEAD, ENGLAND – Tuesday, December 19, 2017: Liverpool’s Harry Wilson during the Under-23 FA Premier League International Cup Group A match between Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven at Prenton Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Critchley has already seen Corey Whelan, Matty Virtue and Ryan Kent depart on loan deals this week as well as midfielder Cameron Brannagan joining Oxford United on a permanent deal.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “More loans are a possibility. They would be the three who would come under the radar of other clubs. If they go on loan, brilliant, if they don’t they will be knocking on the door.”
However, the U23s manager has confirmed that Toni Gomes will remain at Kirkby having recently returned from a loan spell at League Two side Forest Green Rovers.
“I think he will stay,” he added. “Toni is going to be a useful player for us in the second half of the season.”
On the pitch, the U23s have qualified for the last eight of the Premier League International Cup after topping Group A on goal difference.
LENDAVA, SLOVENIA – Tuesday, October 17, 2017: Liverpool’s Bobby Adekanye celebrates scoring the first equalising goal during the UEFA Youth League Group E match between NK Maribor and Liverpool at Športni Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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Liverpool secured victories over Newcastle and PSV in their three group games, and will now join Arsenal, Manchester United, Sunderland, Villareal and Dinamo Zagreb in the quarter-finals.
After securing qualification for one tournament, they moved on step closer to qualifying for another following a 4-1 victory over Charlton Athletic in their Group G tie at the Deva Stadium.
Bobby Adekanye scored a first-half brace to put the Reds in control at the break, before Toni Gomes scored his first goal since returning from his loan spell at Forest Green Rovers.
Harry Wilson also got on the scoresheet, as Liverpool boosted their chances of progressing ahead of two more games against Bristol City and Stoke City to come next month.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – Tuesday, December 19, 2017: Liverpool’s substitute Glen McAuley scores an equalising goal during an Under-18 FA Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool FC at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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Elsewhere, Glen McAuley and Leighton Clarkson were on target as the U18s secured a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig in a friendly at the Academy on Tuesday afternoon.
McAuley had given the Reds a 13th minute lead before Noah Holm equalised for the Bundesliga outfit with just sixteen minutes remaining.
Despite defender Anthony Glennon hitting the crossbar shortly after, Tom Culshaw’s side did find a winner in the closing stages, with Clarkson slotting home his maiden goal for the club.
Liverpool U18s: Atherton (B. Williams, 45); Walls (Sharif, 45), Glennon, R. Williams, Savage; Clarkson (Whyte, 45), Longstaff (Clarkson, 65), Brookwell; McAuley (O’Rourke, 65), Cain, Larouci.
BLACKBURN, ENGLAND – Saturday, January 6, 2018: Liverpool’s Curtis Jones during an Under-18 FA Premier League match between Blackburn Rovers FC and Liverpool FC at Brockhall Village Training Ground. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
This result comes just days after the Reds were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the fourth round stage following a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in extra-time at Anfield.
Robbie Burton had given the visitors a slightly fortunate lead in the 16th minute with the aid of a deflection before Curtis Jones scored either side of half-time to turn the game on its head.
However, with five minutes remaining, Arsenal substitute Bukayo Saka netted an equaliser to take the game to extra-time before Tyreece John-Jules won it for the Gunners in the extra half an hour.
Despite the defeat Gerrard refused to criticise his players, who had ‘given everything for the club’ with the manager ‘loving the experience of being back at Anfield’.
Liverpool U18s Jaros; N. Williams (Larouci, 95), Lewis, R. Williams (Sharif, 104), Boyes, Clayton; Tagseth, Dixon-Bonner; Millar (McAuley, 106), Jones, Camacho.
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Source: anfieldhq.com
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