Joe Bradshaw scored a brace and was involved in two further goals as the in-form forward helped Liverpool Under-18s return to winning ways in a six-goal thriller against Wolves on Saturday. The 16-year-old has scored 10 goals from 15 appearances so far this season, with nine of them coming from just his last eight outings for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side.

After confirming his transfer from Man City earlier in the week, Lucas Clarke also came off the bench to make his young Reds debut as Liverpool finished 2024 in style at their Academy base in Kirkby.

The influential Josh Sonni-Lambie, who would also go on to record two assists, fired the Reds ahead midway through the first half for his eighth goal of the season from 15 outings.

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The forward started the move by picking out Bradshaw down the right, who crossed for Rio Ngumoha. And while the former Chelsea youngster’s shot was saved, Sonni-Lambie was on hand to tap home the rebound.

Bradshaw was involved once again on the half-hour mark as Liverpool doubled their lead, as Luca Furnell-Gill headed home his cross following a smart short corner routine.

Sonni-Lambie nearly made it three before the break after Bradshaw picked him out in the box, only to be denied by the woodwork before Ngumoha’s rebound was saved.

Mateus Mane halved the deficit shortly before half-time after being played in, but the young Reds kept coming at Wolves following the restart.

However, they had debutant Clarke to thank for the visitors not equalising on the hour-mark, as he was called into action to clear off his own line after a Wolves free-kick was headed back across goal.

Bradshaw extended Liverpool’s lead with a deflected effort soon afterwards, after being picked out by Sonni-Lambie to score his first of the afternoon.

Myles Dayman collected a second yellow card for Wolves on the stroke of full-time, but it did not stop Saheed Olagunju from halving the deficit in stoppage-time as he headed home from a corner.

However, there was still time for Bradshaw to restore the young Reds’ two-goal lead and wrap up the win as he ran onto Sonni-Lambie’s through-ball before beating the Wolves goalkeeper with a smart chipped finish.

Liverpool U18s team: Hall, Cisse, Williams, Furnell-Gill, Pitt (Clarke, 57), Upton, Bradshaw, Onanuga (O'Connor, 46), Sonni-Lambie, Ahmed, Ngumoha.

Unused subs: Bernard, Lonmeni, Martin.

Goals: Sonni-Lambie (23), Furnell-Gill (29), Bradshaw (64, 90+5)