3/1 To Win
Derby County’s Under-23s produced a superb second half display to end Liverpool’s 100 per cent Premier League 2 Division 1 record with a 2-0 win at St George’s Park.
Charles Vernam and Alex Babos finished off clinical counter-attacking moves to make it four wins in a row in all competitions for Darren Wassall’s side.
The Liverpool starting eleven featured several names that have been on the fringes of the first team under Jurgen Klopp, and three of them combined to create the first opening after two minutes.
Jon Flanagan’s cross found Ovie Ejaria who in turn fed Harry Wilson, but the wideman curled his effort just wide of Jonathan Mitchell’s far post.
Vernam looked the most likely for the Rams in a tight first period, forcing a save with a breakaway effort before firing over from range.
Wassall’s side were finding it difficult to get out with the immense wind preventing Mitchell from getting any distance on his clearances and Liverpool kept them pinned back for long periods.
Wilson felt that he should have had a penalty with half an hour gone but the referee waved away the appeals. That said, the Liverpool number seven continued to threaten when cutting in on his favoured left foot.
He continued to probe after the break, providing Danny Ings with the first chance of the second half but the striker, back from injury, fired over.
Derby made the away side pay for their generosity in front of goal just six minutes after the interval as Lewis Walker ran clear and played in Vernam, who made no mistake when one-on-one with the 'keeper to make it 1-0.
The Rams were finding real joy on the break and they repeated the trick with 66 minutes gone. Walker again found space to run into, and this time he set up Babos, who struck past Kelleher to double the lead.
They continued to break with regularity as Liverpool went searching for a goal to get them back into the game and Jonathan Mitchell had to be alert on two occasions to keep them out.
But the two goals were enough for Derby to condemn the visitors to their first league defeat of the season.
Derby County U23s: Mitchell; Stabana, Pearce, Shackell, Lowe (Macdonald 46’); Hanson (Bateman 61’), Guy; Thomas, Vernam (Jakobsen 72’), Babos; Walker.
Substitutes not used: Barnes, Wassall.
Liverpool U23s: Kelleher; Flanagan (Garcia 61’), Jones, Masterson, Whelan; Virtue, Ejaria; Wilson, Brannagan, Dhanda; Ings.
Substitutes not used: Firth, Parker, Sharif.
Major Moment…
Wassall’s side are making a habit of strong second half performances and they did the same here as they hit Liverpool on the counter just minutes after the break to take the lead.
Walker picked up the ball and ran at the backline whilst Vernam peeled away from his man to allow himself a clear run through on goal, and he didn’t give Caomhin Kelleher a chance with a placed finish into the corner.
Who Impressed…
Walker was on the periphery of the game during the first half, but he made his influence count in a brilliant way after the break.
Liverpool couldn’t cope with his pace and final ball as he set up both goals, first for Vernam and then Babos in a similar fashion to set the Rams on their way to a memorable victory.
What’s Next…
The Under-23s’ next game is against Manchester City at the City Football Academy Stadium on Saturday, and big games continue to come thick and fast in the Premier League 2 for Wassall’s side as they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Pride Park Stadium the following Friday.
