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Liverpool U18s were beaten 4-3 away at Manchester United in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash on Saturday afternoon.
Layton Stewart had put the young Reds 3-2 ahead midway through the second half, but Joe Hugill's late double saw United move into first place in the U18s Premier League North.*
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's side had initially overturned a two-goal deficit after the hosts went 2-0 up through first-half goals from Charlie Wellens and Charlie McNeil.*
Stewart's first strike of the afternoon gave Liverpool a lifeline as it was then quickly followed up by a Tyler Morton leveller.* **
Despite a front-footed start from the visitors, they fell behind with seven minutes on the clock.*
Noam Emeran's cross from the left just evaded Billy Koumetio's outstretched foot, allowing Wellens to fire in from close range.*
Dominic Corness nearly delivered a perfect response, but saw his curling free-kick strike the post and bounce clear. James Norris, Max Woltman and James Balagizi also had opportunities to equalise.*
But Liverpool went into half-time two goals down after being hit by a United counter-attack shortly before the break.*
Woltman looked to be in with a sighting of goal, though United thwarted the attack and launched a breakaway through Emeran. The United forward advanced towards the penalty area and found McNeil, who drilled beyond Jakub Ojrzynski.*
Koumetio was withdrawn at the interval for Mateusz Musialowski in a planned substitution. It saw Sean Wilson move to centre-back, while Melkamu Frauendorf dropped back to occupy the right-back spot.
Liverpool returned from the break rejuvenated and restored parity by the 64th minute.*
To make it 2-1, Stewart brought down Morton's ball over the top brilliantly and his second touch was a clinical finish into the back of the net.*
And it was level again when Morton reacted quickest to head in after United stopper Radek Vitek fumbled Corness' in-swinging corner.*
Liverpool continued to dominate proceedings and deservedly took the lead for the first time in the contest in minute 73.*
Musialowski beat a number of United defenders with a weaving run before delivering a cut-back into the penalty area. Arriving to meet the cross was Stewart with a sliding finish that found the bottom corner.
But United battled back themselves to deliver another final twist.*
It 3-3 when Hugill converted the rebound from an Emeran shot, which had been well saved by Ojrzynski.*
Five minutes from time, Hugill was there again inside the penalty area to fire in from close range and secure the three points.*
It could easily have been 4-4, though Luca Stephenson fired over at the back post in the 90th minute as United then held on.*
Liverpool U18s: Ojrzynski, Wilson, Quansah, Koumetio (Musialowski, 45), Norris, Corness, Frauendorf, Balagizi, Morton (Stephenson, 82), Woltman (Blair, 82), Stewart.*
Unused substitutes: Mrozek, Cannonier.
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