Liverpool U23s manager Michael Beale has praised his side’s performance in last night’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
Beale highlighted obvious similarities between the tactics of United’s U23s and Jose Mourinho’s side.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “We played very well against what was basically the same situation that the first-team faced at Anfield on Monday night.”
“It’s hard to play against teams who sit in with 10 men behind the ball. We see it in the Premier League every week.”
“Any coach will tell you that when you play 10 v 10 in one half the defending team usually wins.”
“We actually practised against it in training on Monday because we thought it might happen.”
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It seems United’s lack of attacking ambition runs through to the club’s youth sides.
The Reds, like the first team on Monday, were unable to break down a packed United defence and emerged from the game disappointed to have conceded a second half goal and also to not have won all three points.
Things were going well when Harry Wilson put Liverpool ahead in the first half with an instinctive flick, before United levelled from the penalty spot just after half time.
From then on, it was a repeat of Monday night- ten shirts behind the ball for Liverpool to breach.
The performances of midfielders Pedro Chirivella and Marko Grujic posed as key positives for Beale and perhaps Jurgen Klopp to take from the game.
Both men dominated in the middle of the park but could not help their team find the all-important winning goal.