Kieran Morrison sends clearest message yet to Arne Slot after Liverpool decision

The Reds continued their impressive recent run at Premier League 2 level with a superb victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the AXA Training Centre that saw it move up to first place

Morrison has been the Under-21s' star performer over the last weeks

Liverpool Under-21s moved to the top of the Premier League 2 table courtesy of a 5-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The victory extended the Reds' excellent record, with Rob Page's youngsters now winning eight of its nine league matches since the turn of the year.

Few in that run have been as straightforward as the Wolves encounter, especially given the hosts faced 10 men for over 70 minutes of the game at Kirkby. Even when the sides were level on numbers, the early signs were ominous for Wolves.

It took just five minutes for left-back Clae Ewing to fire in the opening goal, with a sweetly struck effort that pinged in off the post.

The Reds controlled the pace of proceedings from the off, with Trey Nyoni, fresh from another first-team cameo on Friday, dictating the flow from midfield.

Another of those named in the squad at Molineux for that FA Cup tie doubled Liverpool's advantage soon after. Calvin Ramsay tapped in a well-worked set-piece routine when he converted Will Wright's cross to the back post.

Then came the pivotal five-minute period of the game, as Wolves saw a goal disallowed for offside after Luke Rawlings finished off a slick move, before Makenzie Bradbury was shown a straight red card for his foul on Wright.

Liverpool Under-21 registered a comfortable victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Liverpool striker, closing in on goal, was hauled to the ground and referee William Davis adjudged it to be worthy of an immediate dismissal for Bradbury, despite at least one Wolves defender in close vicinity.

Then came the Liverpool onslaught, with three goals in five minutes. Kieran Morrison, a third Under-21 player involved in first-team action against Wolves' senior side on Friday, netted a simple goal after the Reds capitalized on some sloppy play from the visitors.

For the Northern Ireland youth international it was another reminder of his talent, as he played a part in three of the goals, two days on from another first-team cameo off the bench.

Morrison has been the Under-21s' star performer over the last weeks

It was a similar situation for the fourth, with Wright dispossessing Wolves' Saheed Olagunju and then firing beyond goalkeeper Alfie Brooks.

Olagunju's nightmare afternoon went from bad to worse when he inadvertently turned the ball into his own from a wicked Morrison cross to make 5-0 within the first half hour.

It could have been more before the break if it weren't for two outstanding saves to deny Wright, while Nyoni's shot was blocked en route to goal.

Despite conceding five, Brooks' superb display in the Wolves goal continued after the break. He kept the Reds at bay in the second half, with Kelly twice testing the stopper, one of which required a full-length sprawl.

Brooks also kept stopped Ramsay getting a second with a solid save with his feet, with the intensity of proceedings dropping markedly after the break.

Liverpool XI: Pecsi; Ramsay, Pinnington, Nallo (Pitt), Ewing; Kelly, Nyoni (Laffey), Pilling; Morrison (Onanuga), Wright, Bradshaw (Ahmed).