Everton stoppage-time heroics break Liverpool hearts as striker continues stunning form

Teenage striker Braiden Graham continued his stunning form for Everton as the club’s Under-18s produced a deserved comeback win in the Merseyside derby.

Graham’s clever first half finish was the highpoint of an impressive display in which he also hit the bar and forced several good saves from Liverpool goalkeeper Bailey Hall.

A menace from the start of the match, the 17-year-old showed good honesty to stay on his feet in one collision with Hall before later being booked for a dive after going to ground when he appeared to have been bundled over after rounding the goalkeeper following a clever through ball from Justin Clarke.

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Graham had a tap-in had he been able to stay on his feet but overcame the controversial call to produce a smart turn and finish to cancel out Joe Bradshaw’s early header. This game then became a battle between the rival attackers, with Bradshaw adding a second with a brilliant finish from a tight angle and Graham, who has been in ruthless form since his arrival from Linfield in the summer, being denied by Hall and the crossbar.

Everton trailed for much of this game but were a threat throughout, Malik Olayiwola driving narrowly wide at the end of a move he started on his own box and then feeding Clarke to cross to George Morgan, who forced a fine save from Hall.

Clarke, another player who has been in fine form after being bought from AFC Wimbledon, almost levelled at the end of a mazy run at the start of a second half in which Everton continued to apply pressure. The introduction of Cieran Loney around the hour mark caused Liverpool new problems as he and Morgan provided a physical presence up front with Graham and Clarke on the wings. Morgan crashed an effort against the post after holding off a defender and played a clever ball to set up Loney for a volley that Hall produced another solid stop to.

In a rare second half foray forward, Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha forced a fingertip save from England youth goalkeeper Douglass Lukjanciks - who tipped over the deflected effort as England number one Jordan Pickford watched.

The Liverpool keeper later prevented Loney again when he got enough on a goalbound effort to allow for it to be scrambled off the line but his efforts were undone in stoppage time.

A series of Everton corners ended with Morgan powering home at the back post before the Wales youth international caused havoc in the Reds’ box, allowing the ball to fall to Kean Wren to hammer in a winner that sparked wild celebrations at Finch Farm.

Wren's late winner means Everton have now won this season's women's, U21s and U18s Merseyside derbies - with the men's side set to do battle at Goodison Park next weekend.