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Under-21s Premier League | Regular Season
Apr 7, 2014 at 7.05pm UK
 

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FT(HT: 0-1)
Dunn (25')

Live Commentary: Chelsea U21s 0-1 Liverpool U21s - as it happened

Relive coverage of Liverpool U21s against Chelsea U21s in the Under-21 Premier League.
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A first-half goal from Jack Dunn has given Liverpool U21 a 1-0 win over Chelsea U21 in the Under-21 Premier League.

The league leaders had the majority of the chances in the first half, and were able to break the deadlock after 25 minutes.

Chelsea, who began the night three points behind Liverpool but with two games in hand, had a flurry of chances late on, but were unable to get back on level terms.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


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Good evening! It's just over half an hour until two of the top sides in the Under-21 Premier League meet at Aldershot Town's ESS Stadium. Liverpool have already named their side, so let's take a look at the team news...

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Fulton, Randall, Smith, Paez, Jones, Williams, Rossiter, Dunn, Teixeira, Lussey

LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Maguire, Firth, Brannagan, Pelosi, Kent

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Blackman, Ssewankambo, Davey, Christensen, Nditi, T. Musonda, Baker, Swift, Mitchell, C. Musonda, Feruz

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTES: Collins, Aina, Ali, Palmer, Kiwomya

Jamal Blackman starts in goal for Chelsea, while Islam Feruz starts up front. 17-year-old Ryan Fulton is in goal for Liverpool, while Joao Carlos Teixeira and Jordan Rossiter lead the way in midfield.

For those of you that are new to the Development Leagues, each side can name up to three overage outfield players and an overage keeper in the matchday squad. Liverpool have been using their Under-21 side to help their senior players regain match fitness recently, but it's all Academy players for the Reds this evening.

Much like the senior side, Liverpool are coming into tonight's match in strong form. The Reds suffered just their second defeat of the season last Tuesday, but bounced back well with a 4-1 thrashing of Norwich on Friday.

Chelsea currently sit fourth in the table, and have four matches left to secure a place in the playoffs, which determines who will be named champions. The Blues are on an 11-match unbeaten run, having clinched a 3-0 win over Stoke on Friday.

This is just the second season that the league has taken place. Last season, Manchester United were crowned inaugural champions, but they're off the pace this year in ninth. As things stand, Fulham and Southampton will be joining Liverpool and Chelsea in the playoffs.

The players should be heading out in the next couple of minutes. There has been some pretty heavy rain in Hampshire today, so it will be a bit slippery under foot tonight.

PREDICTION! Just before kickoff, it's time for a prediction. Chelsea are the form team in the league at the moment, but Liverpool have not got to the top by accident, this should be a close one! I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

The players have just made their way out ready for kickoff.

KICKOFF! Liverpool get the match underway.

CHANCE! The league leaders almost take the lead inside the opening minutes as Jack Dunn plays a brilliant through ball for Kristoffer Peterson, but Jamal Blackman manages to gather the ball for Chelsea.

Chelsea look for their first opportunity of the match, but Lloyd Jones, who is wearing the captain's armband for Liverpool this evening, makes the block. It's certainly been a lively start to the meeting.

CHANCE John Swift spots an opening from 25 yards out and tries to drill the ball in for Chelsea, but he doesn't quite hit it right, and the ball bobbles harmlessly into the hands of Fulton.

Liverpool are applying pressure down the other end again, in what has been an opening first eight minutes. Jordan Lussey tries to curl it in from the edge of the box, but it goes well high.

CHANCE! Tika Musounda wins the ball in midfield and slides it forward for his brother Charly, who forces a good save from Fulton to give Chelsea the opening corner of the game. It's easily cleared by Liverpool though, and Brad Smith charges down the other end of the counter-attack.

The rain has suddenly got a lot heavier in Aldershot, making it tricky for both sides. This match has already been postponed once, but hopefully it won't come to that tonight.

Ryan Fulton takes the ball at the back from a defender, and fails to spot Islam Feruz rushing in, but he just gets the ball away in time. That would have been an absolute howler from the keeper had the Chelsea striker got their in time.

CHANCE! Liverpool have a free kick, which Joao Carlos Teixeira steps up to take. Despite being at least 30 yards out, the Portguese winger goes directly for goal, but it's just wide, rippling the side netting as it goes behind.

Ssewankambo makes a brilliant run down the right sideline before crossing in to Swift, but the midfielder can't get his shot away in time, allowing Jones to clear.

CHANCE! There's a fair amount of spray coming off the pitch as the ball bounces at the moment, it really is very wet indeed! Nditi isn't put off though as he plays his way forward and unleashes a powerful effort from just outside the box, and it's deflected behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Liverpool are very lucky not to be a goal behind as Fulton completely misreads the ball into the box, but Lussey spares him with a goalline clearance.

GOAL! Chelsea U21 0-1 Liverpool U21 (Jack Dunn)

After almost gifting Chelsea the lead at the other end a few moments earlier, Connor Randall manages to catch the Blues out on the counter-attack before passing to Jack Dunn. Blackman slips as he rushes off his line to cut off the Liverpool man, who just has to chip the ball into an open net.

Dunn is keen to add a second as he spots Blackman off his line again and tries to lob the ball in, but he doesn't get the angle right. Meanwhile, Marc Pelosi, who has been out for over a year with a broken leg, is warming up for Liverpool.

Chelsea are pressing as they look to get back on level terms. Charly Musonda plays the ball out wide for Nditi, who crosses it in front of goal, but there's no-one there to tap in.

CHANCE! Blackman has to make another save, this time denying Lussey after Rossiter found Dunn on the counter-attack, before the goalscorer picked out the run of Lussey, but his low strike was well held by the Chelsea keeper.

Chelsea are under pressure at the back again with Peterson in a strong position. Tika Musonda stretches to beat the Liverpool man to the ball, but almost turns it into his own net.

SUB! Chelsea are forced to make a change as Alex Davey appears to be struggling with a leg injury. Ola Aina comes on in his place.

CHANCE! John Swift has the ball again for Chelsea, and his shot deflects just wide. The Blues certainly haven't had as many chances as the league leaders so far, but they look dangerous every time they have the ball in the box, and Ryan Fulton does not look entirely comfortable in the Liverpool goal.

Tika Musonda and Teixeira battle for the ball on the sideline. The duo both end up on the ground, resulting in a bit of afters between the two, but the referee talks to them both without issuing a card.

BOOKING! Teixeira appears to be a marked man at the moment as John Swift launches into him straight from the restart, earning himself the first booking of the evening. The Portuguese needs a bit of attention from the physio, but it looks like he'll be continuing.

CHANCE! Islam Feruz manages to skip around Williams to leave himself with just Fulton to beat as Chelsea continue to push for an equaliser before the break, but his shot was always rising.

As the fourth official signals for two minutes of stoppage time, Liverpool seem content just to keep possession and take their one-goal advantage into the break.

BOOKING! As Tika Musonda tries to create a last-minute chance for Chelsea in the first half, he's brought down by Jordan Williams, earning him a yellow card.

HALF TIME: Chelsea U21 0-1 Liverpool U21

So at the break, Jack Dunn's 25th-minute strike separates the two sides, leaving Liverpool a goal up as they look to extend their lead at the top of the Under-21 Premier League.

Dunn had a couple of chances to add more that one goal for Liverpool, but Chelsea will feel hard done by not to have already broken the deadlock when the winger's shot went in, having seen the ball cleared off the line at the other end just a minute earlier.

Looking ahead, Liverpool have just one more game left in the U21 league, which is next Monday against Everton. Chelsea have got a few more to come, with trips to Aston Villa and Arsenal later this month, as well as a fixture against West Brom at their training ground.

The players are starting to make their way back out for the second half. Unsurprisingly, the groundstaff have been out during the break trying to drain some of the standing water that accumulated during the opening 45 minutes.

Chelsea get the match back underway.

Chelsea make a patient start to the second half, initially playing the ball back to Blackman, before Tika Musonda played it down the wing, but a deep ball into the box had too much on it for Swift, allowing Fulton to claim for Liverpool.

CHANCE! Dunn immediately has a chance down the other end for Liverpool, rounding Aina before looking to power the ball past Blackman, but he snatches at the shot, and it goes well wide.

Peterson makes a fantastic run down the wing before playing the ball into the box. He can't get the shot away himself, but manages to pull it back for Lussey, but his effort was blocked at the back. Liverpool have certainly made the brighter start to the second half.

OFF THE POST! Liverpool win a free kick on the edge of the box as Aina brings down Peterson, who has proved a bit too much for the Chelsea defender to handle. Teixeira curls it in superbly from out wide, and appears to have the keeper beaten, but he's denied by the post.

BOOKING! Kristoffer Peterson appears to be clear through on goal, but he's brought down by Isak Ssewankamba 20 yards out. The Chelsea midfielder is lucky, as it looked like he may have been the last defender, but the referee gives him the benefit of the doubt with just a yellow.

SUB! Chelsea make their second change of the match, bringing on Alex Kiwomya in place of Tika Musonda.

CHANCE! Kiwomya almost has an immediate impact as he catches the Liverpool defence napping with a quick burst into the box, but he final touch is poor.

Liverpool are on the attack again with Jack Dunn outmuscling Nditi on the edge of the box, but he couldn't get the ball to Lussey.

Chelsea seem a lot more dangerous since the introduction of Kiwomya, as Swift tries to play the ball in for the striker, but Fulton manages to collect it before he can get his head to it.

SUB! Liverpool make their first change as Cameron Brannagan comes off the bench in place of Jordan Lussey.

BOOKING! Rafa Paez earns himself a yellow card for charging into the back of Islam Feruz.

Ssewankambo tries to find Kiwomya, but the Liverpool defence has the lively striker covered. The ball comes back out to Ssewankambo who picks out Swift out wide, but Chelsea can't get the ball into the box.

Chelsea are enjoying their first real spell of sustained pressure, but they just can't get the better of Liverpool at the back, as Kiwomya finds himself losing out to Rossiter. Christensen wins in back in midfield, but the move comes to nothing.

BOOKING! The yellow cards are starting to stack up now as Ola Aina is booked for a high challenge on Peterson, who appears to have been left injured by the collision.

Peterson manages to carry on but he's clattered again straight away, this time by Nditi, who manages to avoid the booking. Peterson has been a key member of the Liverpool attack tonight, and appears to be paying the price as Chelsea try to make sure they don't let their opponents double their lead.

Kiwomya presses again for Chelsea, but Jordan Williams spots the danger and wins the ball back for the league leaders, while Brad Smith is on hand to stop a move from Ssewankambo down the right wing a few moments later.

Liverpool catch Chelsea out with a pacy attack, led by Brannagan, who tries to set Dunn up before pulling it back for Peterson, but his pass goes astray.

BOOKING! Jordan Rossiter is the latest player to go in the book for a reckless challenge on Nditi.

CHANCE! Blackman makes a superb save to deny Liverpool their second as Peterson drills the ball in from the right-hand side of the box, but Blackman dives out wide to make the stop.

SUB! Chelsea make another change as Casey Palmer comes on for John Swift. Meanwhile, Marc Pelosi is coming on for the final 13 minutes for Liverpool, seeing his first action since suffering a horrific leg break last February. Goalscorer Jack Dunn makes way for the American to make his comeback.

CHANCE! Palmer goes for goal with his first touch of the night, trying to slot it into the roof of the net, but he sends it well high.

PENALTY APPEAL! Chelsea want a penalty after Feruz takes a tumble following a challenge from Jordan Williams, but the referee isn't interested, and Liverpool immediately head down the other end of the pitch.

CHANCE! Marc Pelosi finds himself through on goal, but he just hesitates a moment too long, allowing Aina to deflect his finish behind for a corner. That would have been the dream comeback for the long-term absentee.

Feruz tries to set up a late equaliser for Chelsea, curling the ball in towards Kiwomya, but he puts too much on the delivery, allowing Randall to clear the danger for Liverpool.

CHANCE! Chelsea are finishing strongly as they force a corner. Christensen tries to head in, but he doesn't get enough power on the ball, giving Fulton an easy stop.

Liverpool have almost every play back as they try to hold off the late Chelsea push. Rossiter manages to get the ball clear and goes on a fantastic solo run, but he loses out to Nditi before he can get the shot away.

CHANCE! Fulton has to make a double save on the line as Charly Musonda tried to force it over as the game heads into three minutes of stoppage time. The 17-year-old gets pats on the back from his teammates, as they know he's kept them ahead there.

CHANCE! Chelsea are really testing Fulton in the final moments of this match as Casey Palmer smashes the ball towards the keeper, but he puts it over. Jamal Blackman comes forward for the corner but Liverpool clear, and Aina has to sprint back to stop Liverpool getting a shot at an empty goal.

FULL TIME: Chelsea U21 0-1 Liverpool U21

Jack Dunn's first half goal gives Liverpool's Under-21 side the win over Chelsea, despite a strong finish from the Blues. The win leaves them six points clear of tonight's opponents at the top of the Under-21 Premier League table.

Well that's all from this match, but join us again tomorrow when Chelsea's senior side will be in action against Paris Saint-German in the Champions League, or stick around this evening for the second half of Tottenham's game against Sunderland in the Premier League. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening, goodbye.

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