MAN CITY U23 3, LIVERPOOL U23 2
A late goal from substitute Felix Nmecha helped Manchester City U23s take another giant stride towards the Premier League 2 title.
The German-born midfielder struck an 89th minute matchwinner against Liverpool as City extended their lead at the top to eight points with only five games left.
Admittedly second-placed Blackburn have played one less match, but City are on a roll as they extended their run to 14 games in Premier League 2.
It was a hard-earned victory, though, and far removed to City’s 7-2 victory at Liverpool in November.
Goals from Alex Robertson, Cole Palmer and Nmecha earned City the points after their former academy player Joe Hardy, with two goals, did his best to cause an upset.
There was two minutes’ silence before kick-off in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh who died earlier in the day aged 99 and both sets of players wore black arm bands.
City fell behind in the 16th minute through a clinical finish from striker Hardy who was ironically a former City academy player who arrived on Merseyside via a spell at Brentford.
The goal jolted City to life and twice in the space of one minute Liam Delap forced a great save from Polish goalkeeper Jakub Ojrzynski before striking the upright.
City were level 10 minutes later when Robertson, son of former Burnley player and Aussie international Mark, swept home a cut back from Palmer.
Ironically, Robertson, 17, was in the academy at Old Trafford before swopping red for blue.
City were ahead two minutes before the interval through a fine solo effort from Palmer as the 18-year-old local lad from Wythenshawe cut in from the right before rifling home an unstoppable shot.
Palmer, a player of immense promise, has already made two first-team appearances.
Centre back Philippe Sandler was taken off at half time as he was only just returning from injury sustained during a loan spell at Belgian club Anderlecht.
And City were still reorganising defensively when Liverpool made in 2-2 only 23 seconds after the restart.
Ben Woodburn, capped 10 times at full international level by Wales, crossed from the left for Hardy, in acres of space, to convert, his fifth goal in his last three games.
City would have regained the lead but for a series of fine saves by Ojrzynski to twice deny the lively Palmer and also Adrian Bernabe and energetic captain Tommy Doyle.
The defiant Ojrzynski was finally beaten in the 89th minute when a cross was delivered into the box and England U19 international Nmecha beat the keeper to the ball to poke home the winning goal.