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Liverpool have impressed in the U21 Premier League this season, and it's good to see that development has arrived along with results as the club currently sit second in the table. Often English football prioritises results above everything else at various levels of youth development, and while there is a debate to be had concerning the prospects of young homegrown players, Liverpool appear to be on the right path.
Such progress has impressed one of Liverpool's dazzling players of the 1990s, Steve McManaman. He may have left for Real Madrid after signing a pre-contract agreement in 1999, but retains close ties with his former club. The Merseyside native has a coaching role at the Kirkby Academy and can provide an informed perspective on which young technicians may break through. Liverpool followed the mini derby victory with another three points against Leicester City to temporarily top of the u21 top tier, but while McManaman was impressed with how the young Reds came back to beat Pearson's fledgling ostriches, he looked beyond just getting results in matches.
Sheyi (Ojo), Ryan Kent and Harry Wilson, when they attack players, they're very, very confident and they're playing very well. I don't think winning the league is that important at this level but certainly you don't want to be at the bottom of the league because you must be doing things correctly when you are playing well and are at top of the league. I think they've come on leaps and bounds this year, I'm really impressed. If anything they're over-achieving, there's a lot of young kids here and you forget that and they're all doing really well. Confidence-wise, it's nice they've won against Everton and they've come here against a more physical side who play a different style of football and they've found a way of getting the result, that is great to see.
Liverpool fans have become familiar with a number of young technicians making a number of appearances in the first-team squad over the past few years. Some may have left permanently or on loan, but it's good to think that Liverpool is a club where players can potentially have a good career elsewhere if things don't quite work out as hoped. Whether players are poached from a young age or come through various youth levels as a local lad, Liverpool will need a few more gems in the future to help the squad compete
