Match Report
The table gap was wide: 18 points between Liverpool U18 (8th, 35 pts) and Stoke City U18 (14th, 17 pts). Liverpool U18 had been under-performing their position — 12th on five-round form against 8th in the table. Per game in the league, Liverpool U18 were scoring 2.69 and conceding 2.69, Stoke City U18 1.62 and 2.65, against a competition average of 2.07 goals per team per game.
Liverpool U18 arrived off five straight defeats. Stoke City U18 had been beaten in seven straight games, having scored in 6 consecutive games.
The head-to-head ledger counts 9 games: 6 Liverpool U18 wins, 1 for Stoke City U18, 2 draws, at 4.11 goals per meeting. The host's record in this fixture is thin — 33% of meetings won. Goals tend to flow: 78% of the meetings produced three or more, and both sides scored in 78%.
On the scoreboard, Stoke City U18 led 2-0 at the break; 4 second-half goals set the final 4-2.
Goal scorers
Liverpool U18: Tyler Martin (82'), Josh Sonni-Lambie (90'), Joseph Bradshaw (90'), Joseph Bradshaw (62') · Stoke City U18: Laurence Giani (28'), Laurence Giani (40')
Key stats
Possession: Liverpool U18 50% · Stoke City U18 50% · Total shots: 11-11 · On target: 5-3 · Corners: 8-7