Liverpool U21s could play their final game of the season over a month before the first-team campaign ends, with the young Reds still not qualified for the playoffs.
Brighton U21s 2-1 Liverpool U21s
Premier League 2 (18) | Amex Elite Performance CentreApril 6, 2025
Goals: Belmont 3′, Howell 67′; Balagizi 71′
U21s coach Barry Lewtas was left to rue his side’s “sloppy” finishing after a 2-1 defeat to Brighton which leaves Liverpool scrambling for a top 16 finish.
With only two games remaining in the league it means if the young Reds fail to finish 16th or above their season will be over by next week.
Liverpool are certainly not guaranteed to do so, as they currently sit 15th with two games left to play but with Nottingham Forest, Leeds and West Brom all below them still pushing for a playoff spot.
After 20 games in the normal campaign, Premier League 2 splits off into eight one-legged playoffs, with first facing 16th and so on, before subsequent quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.
Lewtas’ young Reds need four points from their next two games – at home to Leeds on Sunday and away to bottom-placed Aston Villa next Friday – to mathematically guarantee top 16, though they could also reach the playoffs if other results go their way.
The highest they can finish is 10th though the need for a 10-goal swing to overtake Leicester means it is more likely that their highest possible placing in 11th.
While it may seem a formality that Liverpool do clinch a top-16 finish their form suggests otherwise, with only one win in their last 10 games in the league.
Sunday saw former Liverpool academy striker Joe Belmont net the opening goal for Brighton, with another from Harry Howell enough to consign the young Reds to defeat.
James Balagizi marked his return to competitive action with a consolation in the 71st minute, having spent over two months out injured, but speaking to the club’s official website after the game, Lewtas criticised his side’s finishing.
“I’m sure Brighton will not have been disappointed with how sloppy we were,” he conceded.
“We had opportunities to finish off an attack, but we just maybe have a lack of confidence in front of goal. We just missed too many opportunities.”
Lewtas added: “I have to give Brighton credit because I’ve been quite critical of our finishing, but in fairness to them if there was a shot to be had they blocked it.
“In the end it’s a similar story for us and a disappointing one, but there’s lots of positives for us to take into these next two games and we’ve just got to try to get them over the line with our finishing.”
Liverpool U21s: Misciur; Mabaya, Pinnington, Nallo, Pilling (Figueroa 85′); McConnell, Nyoni (Davidson 77′); Kone-Doherty, Morrison, Ngumoha; Young (Balagizi 49′)
Subs not used: Trueman, Laffey
Next match: Leeds (H) – Premier League 2 – Sunday, April 13, 2pm (BST)
