1 week ago
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Liverpool U21s earned a convincing victory over Everton in the mini-derby in Kirkby, with Kaide Gordon starring for Rob Page's team on an afternoon where he was heavily involved.
Gordon squared for Keyrol Figueroa to open the scoring inside five minutes, but that lead didn't last long. When the ball fell to Francis Gomez with no players in front of him, he calmly directed the ball into the corner to make it 1-1.
From there, though, Liverpool moved into the ascendancy quickly. George Finney was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Lucas Pitt, with high contact made on the Reds' defender.
Gordon then set up Calvin Ramsay, who headed home after a perfectly arched cross into the center beat the entire Everton backline. And Liverpool could easily have been even further ahead.
Nineteen-year-old Figueroa powered home a second — and a third for Liverpool — in the period leading up to half-time, and from there, there was only going to be one winner.
Gordon had seen a penalty saved a few moments earlier but the Reds were not in any danger. He hit the post before half-time and then a rebound was cleared off the line: with a man advantage, they were well on top.
Given almost a free role as a number 10, Gordon roamed around the field and was hugely impressive. As well as missing his spot kick, he could also have scored when he hit the post with a low drive in the first half.
A lot like Kieran Morrison in Wednesday's UEFA Youth League win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Gordon was a cut above. Most Liverpool attacks went through him.
While Morrison might be handed another chance to be with the first team against Crystal Palace in the League Cup, Gordon's appearance here perhaps suggests he might not feature.
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He is ready for more senior action, however, even if loan spells with Norwich City and Portsmouth last season didn't offer him much in terms of minutes.
By January, that might be a situation to address: finding him another temporary home where he can get consistent minutes. Gordon shouldn't have a shortage of suitors.
The game wasn't finished at 3-1: Liverpool striker Figueroa completed his hat-trick as the clock ticked down, smashing a shot into the back of the net.
Everton rarely mustered much in the way of a counter-attack, with Kornel Misciur in goal was little more than a spectator. Liverpool U21s are back in action next Saturday, at home to Middlesbrough.
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