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Ryan Gravenberch and James McConnell of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 open training(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)

Liverpool under-21s ended a nine-game winless run as James McConnell scored the only goal in their 1-0 victory away at Stoke City on Friday night.

However, the full-back’s strike was deflected off-target before the winger sliced wide from a Kieron Morrison corner.

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Tommy Pilling would then volley over the crossbar from 35 yards when trying to take advantage of a poor clearance from the goalkeeper.

However, the young Reds found the breakthrough in the 73th minute as McConnell carried the ball forward to the edge of the box before finding the back of the net with a strike through a sea of bodies.

McConnell nearly doubled the lead soon afterwards with a similar strike, only to see his deflected effort drift just wide.

Meanwhile, Favour Fawunmi could have netted a last-minute equaliser after rounding Harvey Davies, only to fire into the side-netting.

But Liverpool held on to clinch a long-awaited victory that leaves them tenth in the Premier League 2 table.

Meanwhile, both McConnell and Trey Nyoni completed the full 90 minutes at the heart of midfield in Staffordshire, offering a potential selection hint ahead of Arne Slot’s side’s trip to Man City on Sunday.

Cody Gakpo is an injury doubt for the game, while Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Tyler Morton have all been ruled out.

If all four were to miss out, it would leave Liverpool with 19 senior available players.

McConnell or Nyoni would be expected to fill the last place on the bench in such circumstances, if not third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, with the former most recently on the first team bench for last weekend’s victory over Wolves in the absence of the suspended Curtis Jones.

Given the fact that both midfielders played the full 90 minutes against Stoke, it could hint that Gakpo is winning the race to prove his fitness for the trip to Man City.

However, by scoring the winner, McConnell has sent a message to Slot after the Dutchman blocked the midfielder from departing on loan in January after being impressed by his performances against Accrington Stanley and PSV Eindhoven.

On Thursday at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Man City, Slot insisted that Ryan Gravenberch’s recent drop in form is to do with consistency rather than fear of burnout.

The Netherlands international has started all 26 of Liverpool’s Premier League matches to date, along with seven of their Champions League league games and both legs of their League Cup semi-final clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

In contrast, while Slot has repeatedly praised fellow midfielder Wataru Endo, the Japan international continues to play a bit-part role.

McConnell, however, has just sent a reminder of his own talents as a deeper midfield option as the Premier League title-race prepares for its run-in.

Elsewhere, Liverpool Under-18s fell to a disappointing defeat on Saturday morning as they lost 3-1 away at Newcastle United.

Kareem Ahmed fired the Reds after just five minutes, with the forward finishing inside the box after being assisted by Joe Bradshaw.

However, Michael Mills equalised for the hosts shortly after the restart before Kacey Wooster fired the Magpies ahead on the hour-mark.

He then wrapped up a 3-1 victory from the penalty spot with 15 minutes left to play.

Liverpool are now winless from their last four matches in the Under-18s Premier League and sit 12th in the table following their latest loss.

Liverpool U21s team vs Stoke City: Davies; Mabaya, Lucky (Pinnington, 85), Nallo, Ewing; McConnell, Nyoni; Morrison, Pilling, Kone-Doherty (Laffey, 90); Figueroa (Young, 69).

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Unused subs: Misciur, Spearing.

Liverpool U18s team vs Newcastle United: Hall; Lonmeni, Williams, Airoboma, Owen; Upton, Ayman; Bradshaw, Ahmed, Martin; Sonni-Lambie.

Subs: Bernard, Evers, Yeguo, O’Connor, Onanuga.


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