Liverpool crashed out of the FA Youth Cup after Manchester United came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds looked to be cruising into a semi-final showdown with Chelsea after a brace either side of half-time from the in-form Adam Morgan gave them a two-goal cushion.
However, a bizarre penalty incident on 58 minutes changed the whole complexion of the game when both Stephen Sama and Paul Pogba were given their marching orders.
Larnel Cole eventually reduced the arrears with a re-taken spot-kick before Ravel Morrison stunned a packed Kop with a composed finish to level matters just three minutes later.
With extra-time beckoning both sides pushed for a winner but sadly for Rodolfo Borrell's charges it was the visitors who got it when Morrison unleashed a stunning volley four minutes from time.
In the dying seconds Conor Coady and Tyler Blackett were also shown straight red cards following an altercation as both teams ended the match with nine men.
Ahead of the clash a crowd of over 10,000 had turned up at Anfield to provide their backing for one of the Reds' best Youth teams in years and they were almost celebrating a goal for the hosts inside two minutes.
Pogba brought Sterling's marauding run to an abrupt halt and from the resulting free-kick Suso forced a smart save out of Sam Johnstone in the visitors' goal.
The Spaniard certainly seemed up for the occasion and fizzed in another low effort just seconds later but the United stopper was once again equal to it.
The Reds had the bit between their teeth in the early exchanges and Andre Wisdom came within a whisker of marking his first appearance in this season's competition with a goal but his near post header dropped inches over the crossbar.
Next, the lively Morgan let fly from distance but his shot was deflected, allowing Johnstone to gather with relative ease.
The away side had barely threatened but gave a warning of their threat on the counter attack just shy of the quarter of an hour mark when Morrison exchanged a one-two before curling a delightful effort just past the upright.
It was developing into the entertaining spectacle many had predicted and on 22 minutes Liverpool carved out the best opportunity of the half.
Sterling broke dangerously down the left and showed good awareness to pick out Suso with a low centre. The diminutive attacker caught his first-time effort sweetly but was denied by a magnificent stop from Johnstone who kept the ball out via an outstretched leg.
Few could have argued that the hosts had looked the more dangerous without truly hitting top gear and just when it looked like the first period would peter out they broke the deadlock on 33 minutes.
A clever pass from Krisztian Adorjan found Sterling in space 30 yards from goal. The jet-paced winger dropped a shoulder before feeding it back into the path of Morgan who raced through to steer a shot into the far corner of the Kop end net.
It was the frontman's 13th of what is proving to be a prolific campaign and his 10th in his last eight outings.
The goal seemed to settle the Liverpool players' nerves and they began to play with the freedom that has been a feature of their season so far.
On 41 minutes they split United's defence with another incisive piece of play but when Sterling cut in from the right he saw his low drive brilliantly beaten away by Johnstone.
Being the perfectionist that he is, Borrell would have no doubt demanded more from his troops during the break and within eight minutes of the restart they had doubled their advantage.
The ever-creative Adorjan released a sublime ball in behind the full-back for Brad Smith to overlap and drill in a low cross that Morgan bundled home from close range.
On most afternoon's that would have been game over but just moments later Sama received a straight red card after he was harshly adjudged to have felled Ryan Tunnicliffe in the area.
Pogba duly converted from the spot but his exaggerated run-up was deemed poor sportsmanship by the referee who then gave him his marching orders by showing him a second yellow card for dissent.
The bizarre incident had everyone scratching their heads and when the game finally got back underway Cole reduced the arrears when he sent Tyrell Belford the wrong way with a composed kick.
With 10 against 10 Liverpool would have fancied their chances of re-establishing their dominance but just three minutes later the visitors stunned Anfield by pulling level.
Cole danced down the right and muscled his way beyond Smith before crossing low for Morrison to gleefully steer home at the far post.
It was a huge blow for the home side and their approach play suffered in the aftermath of such a crazy opening to the second period.
Gradually they began to dictate the pattern of the proceedings again as Borrell shuffled his pack by replacing Craig Roddan with Matty McGiveron and goal-hero Morgan with the enigmatic, Toni Silva.
However, with normal time ebbing to a close the nearest the Reds went to restoring their lead was on 76 minutes when Sterling burst free of the defence, only to underhit his through ball for Silva.
United had grown in confidence as the match had developed and with four minutes remaining they broke forward to clinch an unlikely victory courtesy of Morrison's acrobatic volley.
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