AcademyU18s match report: 10-man Liverpool beaten at Blackburn Rovers

A goal in the first half was followed by four in the second for the hosts, with the Reds losing defender Louis Enahoro-Marcus to a red card.

Blackburn began the contest on the front foot and Liverpool's Bailey Hall was the first of the two goalkeepers forced into action with a clearance inside his own area.

The Reds No.1 then saved from Valentine Joseph, before Josh Sonni-Lambie returned fire at the opposite end, driving forward to curl an effort inches past the post.

Both teams continued to exchange openings, Jayden Sergeant seeing a header from a corner ball cleared away from underneath the crossbar, while Scofield Lonmeni produced a mazy run from deep before shooting wide.

On the half-hour, however, the home side opened the scoring.

Sergeant broke free down the left and darted to the byline to cross low into the six-yard box, with Aaron Potter on hand to prod home the loose ball to break the deadlock.

Ahead of the half-time interval, Blackburn went close to adding to the scoreline, though Hall in the Liverpool net twice denied their efforts.

He first stopped a low drive from Sergeant, before leaping quickly to his feet to push away a Harvey Higgins quickfire rebound.

The second period began how the first ended, as Hall saved from Higgins in the first of the action following the restart.

Liverpool’s goalkeeper was being kept busy, next halting another dangerous opening as Joseph again curled the ball goalward.

Rovers were enjoying much of the play, which was coming mostly via Sergeant on the left flank as the attacker twice shot over in quick succession.

They eventually got the second goal their play warranted on the hour.

Sergeant delivered a dangerous dead-ball into the box that was headed back across goal, leaving substitute Stephen Edmondson to tap home from close in.

A short while later, Liverpool were reduced to 10 men, with Enahoro-Marcus receiving a red card after a tangle with the goalscorer following a coming together in his own box.

With 15 minutes to go, Sergeant grabbed a deserved goal on the break, as he converted a low cross high into the net to add a third.

In the closing stages, the Reds were undone by a short corner routine for Blackburn's fourth, Joseph finding the back of the net with a header, while Emmanuel Airoboma put into his own net in added time to close out the scoring.

Team

Liverpool: Hall, Lonmeni, Airoboma, Enahoro-Marcus, Evers, Bradshaw, Ayman, Upton (Owen, 77), Martin (O'Connor, 63), Sonni-Lambie, Onanuga (Ahmed, 63).

Unused subs: Bernard, Yeguo.

Next up

The Reds are again on the road in their next U18 Premier League North outing, which comes against Newcastle United on February 22.

Kick-off at Whitley Park is set for 11am GMT.