Young Blues Lift League TrophyScenes of celebration at Goodison after Monday's mini-derby.Everton Under-23s got their hands on the Premier League 2 trophy in front of a bumper crowd at Goodison Park.
The young Blues fell to a 2-1 mini-derby defeat but there were still scenes of celebration at full-time in recognition of their title-winning achievements.
The contest was decided by goals in each half, as Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander Arnold’s 57th-minute strike added to Sheyi Ojo’s early opener.
Substitute Calum Dyson pulled one back with seven minutes remaining but the Reds held on, despite a barrage of late pressure.
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Coach David Unsworth went with a strong team including Gethin Jones, who had returned from a loan spell at Championship outfit Barnsley a day earlier.
The Welshman began the game at left-back and he was inches away from opening the scoring in just the fourth minute with a curling effort that flashed past the post.
Instead it was Liverpool who struck first, with striker Ojo capitalising on some loose defending to slot past Mateusz Hewelt with their opening foray forward.
The visitors’ lead was then nearly doubled when a break down the left wing culminated with Ovie Ejaria firing over from a promising position 10 yards out.
Everton’s response to the early setback was positive and an alert save from Kamil Grabara prevented Kieran Dowell from netting with a well-disguised free-kick.
The Reds goalkeeper also needed to make a finger-tip save to deflect Joe Williams’ shot over the bar and behind for a corner on the half-hour mark.
Muhamed Besic, making his third Under-23s appearance since fighting back from a knee injury, provided steel in the central midfield and when a surging run forward from the Bosnian was illegally halted, Dowell bent another left-foot free-kick over the wall but this time narrowly wide.
Aside from Liverpool’s early goal, Everton were the better side throughout the first 45 minutes. Grabara made his third telling intervention of the game at the end of the half when he clutched hold of Bassala Sambou’s run-and-shot.
It was more of the same after the restart, with the Liverpool glovesman denying the same Everton player, pushing a crisply-hit effort around the post.
Kenny curled a free-kick over the target and Pennington went close with a header from a corner.
But as Unsworth’s side pushed relentlessly forward in pursuit of a leveller, they were hit on the counter as Alexander Arnold doubled Liverpool’s advantage with an angled drive on 57 minutes.
Everton refused to give up and marauding full-back Kenny, who had been called up by England Under-20s for the forthcoming World Cup earlier in the day, went to ground in the area, only to see his strong penalty appeals waved away.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, Liverpool introduced Jordon Williams and an ill-timed challenge from the substitute on Beni Baningime sparked a mini-melee between the two teams.
After tempers calmed down, Everton finally got the breakthrough their efforts deserved. Substitute Dyson wriggled free in the box and his deflected shot found the Gwladys Street net.
The young Blues battled to the very end and in stoppage time, Dyson headed onto the roof of the net and Grabara made another fine save to divert Dowell’s attempt behind for a corner.
Liverpool held on for the 2-1 win but that didn’t prevent the joyous scenes post-match as captain Kenny lifted the silverware, surrounded by his teammates, and the celebrations continued afterwards in the home dressing room.
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