Everton’s Under-18s cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory over city rivals Liverpool to keep their hopes of reaching the Premier Academy League play-offs alive.
The young Toffees rarely looked troubled as they raced to a 3-0 lead in the first half at Finch Farm, leaving Blues coach Neil Dewsnip delighted.
Their classy win means Everton overtake Liverpool and move into top spot in the Group C league table, six points ahead of Rodolfo Borrell’s side, although the Reds have two games in hand and a superior goal difference.
It was an energetic and controlled display from Dewsnip’s boys, with the goals coming from on-loan Sporting Lisbon defender Eric Dier, Hallam Hope, John Lundstram and Anton Forrester.
Everton opened the scoring after just four minutes. Centre-back Dier met Luke Garbutt’s cross with a powerful header from close range.
Buoyed by their early breakthrough, the Blues stepped up the tempo and doubled their lead four minutes later through powerful striker Hallam Hope. The 17-year-old cooly side-footed home from another neat cross from defender Luke Garbutt, who sparkled further upfield on the left wing.
The Blues pressed the ball with more appetite, and boasted greater creativity in midfield despite the presence of former England U-17 captain Conor Coady and highly rated Spanish playmaker Jesús Fernández Sáez, or ‘Suso’, in the opposing ranks.
Further chances came through John Lundstram, who twice troubled Liverpool stopper Jamie Stephens with close range efforts either side of the half-hour mark.
And the energetic midfielder was rewarded for his perseverance on 38 minutes after Tom Donegan produced a high cross from deep, which he headed home in a congested goalmouth.
The second half again saw few chances for the visitors, as the Blues’ back four – marshalled superbly by 6ft 4in Swedish prospect Johan Hammar – kept things tight.
Everton were able to rely on the pace and tenacity of both full-backs, the impressive Tyias Browning at right-back and skipper Jack Bidwell at left-back.
Blues keeper Conor Roberts was called upon late in the game, but made easy work from a low drive by Suso.
Towering Liverpool sub Michael Ngoo tried to turn things around with a bruising physical cameo, but the result was already beyond doubt.
The home side wrapped up the points five minutes from time after an impressive jinking run from England starlet Garbutt culminated with a cross from the right which fell perfectly into the path of hard-working Anton Forrester.
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