ACADEMY FOOTBALL: Liverpool's year ends on a low with loss to Manchester United

Liverpool started brightly and Amoo and Dalla Valle both went close. But United had chances themselves and took the lead on 22 minutes courtesy with a excellent shot from Oliver Norwood.

David Amoo fired straight at United keeper Conor Devlin after Joe Kennedy headed into his path. It proved a costly miss as United were 2-0 ahead on 40 minutes after picking up Dean Bouzanis' clearance Petrucci set up Macheda to score.

Another bright spell at the start of the second half ended when Dalla Valle reduced the arrears from close range following a corner on 65 minutes.

Liverpool tried to grab an equaliser but United broke away with 10 minutes left as Morrison went round to Bounzanis to score.

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McAuley said: "It was a disappointing result but I was not unhappy with the performance. It was a very good game of football. We started well and had a few chances. We gave the ball away a couple of times and it cost us the goals.

"Even though it was 2-0 at half-time I felt we were creating chances and could get back in it. We started the second half in a brighter frame of mind, started to press higher and win the ball."

Liverpool will return to Academy League action in the New Year with a trip to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, January 17.

Before that the FA Youth Cup fourth round tie with Bristol Rovers will take place at the Memorial Ground on Thursday, January 15 (kick-off 7.30pm)

LIVERPOOL UNDER-18s: Bouzanis; Scott, Coady, Kennedy, O'Connor, Buchtmann; Amoo, Pepper, Kacaniklic; Dalla Valle, Ince (Ellison 73). Subs: Roberts, Duyan, Ijkiwi.