22/08/2014 20:59 - ManUtd.com, Adam Marshall
Liverpool U21 1 United U21 1
Manchester United Under-21s secured a point from a testing trip to Anfield to face Liverpool with Tom Lawrence cancelling out Jordan Lussey's free-kick opener.
The Reds enjoyed plenty of possession but Joel Castro Pereira had a scare when Sheyi Ojo charged down his attempted clearance, with the ball cannoning wide. The keeper was alert to make a save from the dangerous Kristoffer Peterson and Lussey attempted a drive that flew well off target.
Josh Harrop robbed Cameron Brannagan and pulled the trigger after advancing into the box but Lloyd Jones made a vital block to deny the midfielder, who also saw a long-ranger fielded by Danny Ward. Lussey went close with a raking drive that scraped a post, following a run by Ojo, but United were just as unlucky when Paddy McNair met an Andreas Pereira free-kick on the edge of the six-yard area but could only hit an upright when a goal seemed certain.
Harry Wilson tested Joel Castro Pereira's reflexes with a free-kick and another set-piece proved the Reds' undoing. Wilson was flagged offside but the referee brought play back to book Tom Thorpe for a late tackle on Peterson and allowed Lussey the chance to curl, too easily, around the wall and past Joel Castro Pereira.
United took only four minutes to respond as a sublime move was sparked by substitute James Weir, who received the ball back from Harrop and drove to the byline, crossing invitingly for Lawrence to lift the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
Seconds later, Lawrence's stinging shot forced a stop out of Ward and, after Joel Castro Pereira thwarted Sergi Canos, Joe Rothwell hammered an ambitious drive over the bar. 17-year-old substitute Canos had another glaring opportunity from a quick free-kick but Joel Castro Pereira came out to win a one-on-one duel by stretching to tip the ball out for a corner as the Spaniard attempted to round him.
There was no drama in the four minutes of injury time as Warren Joyce's side clinched a useful point from the journey to Merseyside to build on the opening day win against Norwich City.
United: J.Pereira; McNair, Thorpe, Vermijl; Janko, Pearson, Rothwell, Harrop, C.Evans (Weir 55); A.Pereira; Lawrence. Subs not used: O'Hara, Grimshaw, Willock, Goss.