Liverpool under-18s through to FA Youth Cup quarter-finals after Fulham demolition

Liverpool’s Under-18s are through to the 2023/24 FA Youth Cup quarter-finals after beating their Fulham counterparts 3-0 at the AXA Training Centre on Sunday. 

Goals from Lewis Koumas, Kieran Morrison and striking starlet Jayden Danns eased the Reds’ path to victory in a strong second-half performance. 

The Cottagers had put Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side under severe pressure before the break, testing Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur throughout the opening period, but the Reds managed to hold the Londoners at bay. 

After half-time, Liverpool took control with their outstanding young attacking players beginning to dominate. 

They hit Fulham twice in quick succession to take the game away with Koumas striking first and then Morrison extending the lead. 

It was 17-year-old Morrison who provided the assist, putting in a superb cross for Koumas to nod home. 

Morrison, just moments later, doubled the Reds’ lead when he put a ferocious left-footed strike from outside the box past Marco Underwood in the Fulham goal. 

Danns, meanwhile, got in on the act after 73 minutes. He turned and struck a sudden effort, catching the Fulham goalkeeper off guard, from around 25 yards for his 19th goal of the season. 

There were impressive performances in the game from Trey Nyoni and Trent Kone-Doherty also for the young Reds side. 

Bright future

Nyoni, Danns and Koumas have all trained with the Liverpool first team under Jurgen Klopp in recent months and were among the prospects name-checked by the Liverpool manager as he detailed the emerging talents coming through the Kirkby pipeline following the 5-2 FA Cup victory over Norwich last month. 

He said: "Trey and Dannsy especially as well from the U18s, Koumas… there is a lot of really good players coming up still, so the academy is in a good moment, I would say, producing-wise. It’s wonderful."

Danns is the son of ex-midfielder Neil Danns, who played in the youth ranks for Liverpool before earning game time in the Premier League for the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City. 

Koumas, meanwhile, has a famous father too; Jason Koumas, once of Liverpool youths, who forged a career in the game with Tranmere Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Wigan. 

Nyoni has already been on the bench for the first team but is yet to make an appearance for Klopp having signed from Leicester last summer.

What's next for Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup?

Liverpool hammered Arsenal, 7-1, in the last round before taking on Fulham. They will face the winners of Sheffield United v Leeds, which takes place on February 7.  

Liverpool boast four FA Youth Cup victories, in 1996, 2006, 2007 and most recently in 2019. The likes of Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher count themselves as FA Youth Cup champions from their time in the Reds' academy.