The Liverpool U21 squad made a thrilling comeback to secure a 3-2 victory against Norwich U21s, showcasing the talents of Keyrol Figueroa, who delivered a stunning late double. This match, held at the Avant Training Centre on January 9, 2026, provided intriguing insights into manager Arne Slot's strategies as he prepares his squad for upcoming challenges.
Match Overview: Norwich U21s 2-3 Liverpool U21s
Competition: Premier League 2
Venue: Avant Training Centre
Date: January 9, 2026
Goals Scored: Myles (20′), Ameen (49′); Nallo (25′), Figueroa (82′, 90+5′)
The game saw Figueroa, coming off the bench, play a pivotal role in clinching the win by scoring two late goals, raising his impressive tally to seven goals across just four matches in the league. His performance certainly catches the eye, even if he isn't currently the starting striker in the academy setup.
Interestingly, while Figueroa shone as the game’s hero, he began as a substitute. The young forward was preceded by Will Wright, the 17-year-old summer signing who made his long-awaited competitive return after recovering from a knee injury sustained in September. This was a significant moment for Wright, indicating his potential future contributions to the first team.
Another noteworthy aspect of the game was the absence of Calvin Ramsay, who was the only member of Rob Page's under-21 squad not to participate. Having previously appeared on the bench during a match against Arsenal, there are expectations that Ramsay could make an appearance in the forthcoming FA Cup tie against Barnsley.
Ramsay had started in Liverpool's earlier Carabao Cup defeat against Crystal Palace, alongside fellow teammates Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, who are also anticipated to feature in the upcoming FA Cup third round.
In terms of player fitness, Kieran Morrison and defender Wellity Lucky each played the full 90 minutes in this match, which likely means they may be rested for the next game unless needed as substitutes.
This match marked Liverpool U21s' first league outing since November 7. They initially found themselves trailing after just 20 minutes when Lucky lost possession to Elliot Myles, who scored for Norwich. However, Amara Nallo quickly equalized for Liverpool with a well-placed finish shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, Norwich regained the lead through Botan Ameen’s brilliant strike just after halftime.
With Kyle Kelly and Wright still working their way back to full fitness, they were substituted by Ben Trueman and Figueroa in the 70th and 60th minutes, respectively. It was Figueroa who ultimately turned the tide, first scoring with a clever finish from a corner in the 82nd minute, followed by a decisive header deep into stoppage time that secured Liverpool's fourth league victory in their last ten matches.
Starting Lineup for Liverpool U21s: Pecsi; Davidson, Lucky, Nallo, Chambers; Pilling, Kelly (substituted for Trueman 70′), Laffey; Morrison, Kone-Doherty, Wright (substituted for Figueroa 60′)
Unused Substitutes: Misciur, Pinnington, Trueman, Ewing, Figueroa
Looking ahead, Liverpool U21s will face Arsenal in another Premier League 2 match at home on Saturday, January 17, at 2 PM GMT. This will surely be another exciting opportunity for the young talents to showcase their skills.
