Liverpool U18s looked to have salvaged a dramatic late draw at home to Sunderland on Saturday – until two goals deep into stoppage time consigned them to another defeat.

Liverpool U18s 3-5 Sunderland U18s

U18 Premier League | AXA Training Centre
November 1, 2025

Goals: Bradshaw 30′, 60′, Inglethorpe 90+1′; Hester 34′, Matadeen 37′, Hunt 87′, Neill 90+7′, Campbell 90+9′

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The young Reds have struggled to build on the dramatic 5-4 win over Frankfurt in the UEFA Youth League and are now three games without a win.

Saturday saw Simon Wiles’ side make it back-to-back defeats, doing so in miserable circumstances as they conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 5-3 to Sunderland.

It was former Liverpool youngster Marcus Neill – the son of ex-Everton defender Lucas Neill who left the club in 2024 after five years on Merseyside – who scored the match-winner.

Wiles was able to name a strong side at the AXA, with Joe Bradshaw returning to availability after stepping up to the U21s in recent weeks and Josh Sonni-Lambie among those retained from the 3-1 loss to Everton in midweek.

Bradshaw opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, picking up a pass from Sonni-Lambie and beating Joe Cowan at the second time of asking.

Sunderland went into the break 2-1 up, however, with Bayley Hester and Jay Matadeen able to get on the end of crosses and beat Bailey Hall for a quick-fire double.

The two sides traded goals after half-time, with Liverpool equalising through Bradshaw after an hour following an eye-catching move involving left winger La’more Lee Forrester and attacking midfielder AJ Yeguo.

But Liam Hunt then put Sunderland back in front with three minutes of normal time left to play – setting up a thrilling finale.

Three goals in nine minutes of stoppage time!

Substitute Finn Inglethorpe will have thought he had secured a morale-boosting draw when he pounced on Haydn Murray-Holme’s corner to bring it back to 3-3 at the very start of a lengthy period of stoppage time.

Sunderland were left celebrating, though, as goals from Neill in the seventh minute added on and then Lewis Campbell two minutes later clinched a 5-3 victory.

Neill scored 16 goals and assisted a further six in 23 games for Sunderland U18s last season and looks to be continuing that form into the new campaign – on Saturday showing Liverpool what they are missing out on.

For many of those involved at the weekend there will now be a tight turnaround, as the U19s host Real Madrid in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday afternoon with Sonni-Lambie among those likely to start.

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Liverpool U18s: Hall; O’Connor, Cisse, Owen, Powney Wain; Upton (Ayman 60′), Murray-Holme; Bradshaw, Yeguo, Lee Forrester (Farkas 76′); Sonni-Lambie (Inglethorpe 46′)

Subs not used: Bernard, Hickman

Next match: Real Madrid U19s (H) – UEFA Youth League – Tuesday, November 4, 3pm (GMT)