Match reportLiverpool U21s beaten by Tottenham as Jones and Doak feature

Goals from Jamie Donley and Malachi Fagan-Walcott were enough to defeat the 10-man Reds, who had Calvin Ramsay sent off midway through the first half.

Curtis Jones and Ben Doak both started the encounter for Barry Lewtas' side at the Kirkby Academy, before they were withdrawn at half-time in planned substitutions.

With Jürgen Klopp watching on from the sideline, Liverpool made a bright start and good work from Doak down the right set up Dominic Corness, who fired straight at the goalkeeper from inside the area.

However, the complexion of the game ultimately changed in minute 23 when Ramsay was dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, bringing down Romaine Mundle on a Spurs counter.

Mundle went close with a curler before Reds stopper Harvey Davies pulled off two brilliant saves in quick succession to keep it at 0-0.

But the visitors took the lead in first-half stoppage time. Donley latched onto Kallum Cesay's ball over the top – despite Liverpool's appeals for offside – and was free to score from close range.

Jones nearly delivered an immediate response in his final piece of action in the match, though his cut-back into a dangerous area was unable to find a teammate.

Lewtas' team more than held their own in the second period and crafted opportunities to equalise.

Bobby Clark forced a good intervention from Alfie Whiteman just past the hour mark, as he was then denied by post with his effort from a tight angle minutes later.

But the three points would be returning to the capital when Fagan-Walcott headed in seven minutes from time, despite the hosts' protests at Harvey Blair being fouled in the build-up.

Liverpool U21s: Davies, Ramsay, Chambers, Quansah, Jonas, Corness, Norris, Frauendorf (Blair, 75), Jones (Cain, 46), Doak (Stephenson, 46), Clark.

Unused substitutes: Kelly, Musialowski.