U21S MATCH REPORT: LIVERPOOL 2-3 BURNLEY

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Young Clarets earn first PL2 points

2025-08-25T16:54:36.410Z

U21S MATCH REPORT: LIVERPOOL 2-3 BURNLEY

Young Clarets earn first PL2 points

2025-08-25T16:54:36.410Z

Young Clarets earn first PL2 points

Kian McMahon-Brown’s brace and a further strike from Manuel Benson helped earn Burnley U21s an impressive 3-2 victory over Liverpool on Monday afternoon.

The young Clarets fought resiliently on a sweltering day in Kirkby, with goalkeeper Charlie Casper making a string of smart saves to help his team over the line.

There were two changes from the side that started last week’s league opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with second-year scholar Fabio So coming into the midfield.

Winger Julien Vetro earned his first minutes of the season, with manager Andy Farrell reverting to a 4-4-2 formation that paired Michael Mellon and McMahon-Brown together up front.

U21S MATCH REPORT: LIVERPOOL 2-3 BURNLEY - Image 1

Murray Campbell had an early chance to open the scoring, but the centre-back’s header glanced narrowly wide from a Benson free-kick.

Casper was then called into action at the other end, producing a smart save to deny Jayden Danns.

The hosts took a fortuitous 16th-minute lead through a Jack McEvilly own goal and Casper did well to deny a second goal soon afterwards, thwarting Kieran Morrison this time.

Burnley never gave up and found an an equaliser in the 44th minute. Mellon did well to control McEvilly’s long pass and fed McMahon-Brown, who calmly beat Armin Pecsi one-on-one.

There was still time for more action before half-time, with Clarets captain Joe Ashton producing a fine goal-line block to deny Calvin Ramsay.

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George Brierley replaced So at half-time and it wasn’t long before Benson put Burnley ahead. After good work from Vetro, the Angolan picked out the bottom left corner from 18 yards.

An action-packed game produced two more goals shortly after the hour and it was Liverpool who struck first through Morrison after a rapid counter attack.

Parity lasted just four minutes, though, when McMahon-Brown reacted quickest to the goalkeeper spilling Mellon’s shot to squeeze the ball in at the near post.

Liverpool’s Wellity Lucky and Tommy Pilling would both have thought they’d done enough to score the game’s sixth goal, but Casper produced two more reactionary stops to frustrate our hosts.

Farrell then turned to his bench with just under 20 minutes to go, introducing Vernon Masara and Kamarni Ryan in place of McEvilly and Mellon respectively.

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Brandon Pouani later replaced Benson as the Clarets continued to push forwards, but it was Liverpool who had the best chance of the closing stages.

Substitute Will Wright met a deep cross from the right with his head, but could only steer it wide of the left-hand post.

The U21s are next in action at Turf Moor against Leeds United on Friday 29th August, with kick-off at 7pm. Members and season ticket holders can claim their free ticket HERE.

Burnley: Casper, Blackie, Ashton, Campbell, McEvilly (Masara 72), So (Brierley 46), Benson (Pouani 85), McCoy, Mellon (Ryan 72), McMahon-Brown, Vetro

Unused Substitutes: Chester

Liverpool: Pecsi, Ramsay, Pinnington, Lucky (Airoboma 93), Miles, Pilling, Morrison, Nyoni, Danns (Wright 72), Laffey (Figueroa 79), Kone-Doherty

Unused Substitutes: Misciur, Davidson

Goals: McEvilly OG 16’, McMahon-Brown 44’, 67’, Benson 54’, Morrison 63’