Jayden Danns scores again as Liverpool future remains uncertain

Jayden Danns was on the scoresheet for Liverpool Under-21s as they lost to Sparta Prague on Wednesday night

Jayden Danns was on the scoresheet for Liverpool Under-21s as they suffered defeat in the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday night. The young Reds had already been eliminated from the competition, but rounded off their group-stage involvement with a 3-1 defeat at home to Sparta Prague.

Having scored his first goal of the season for Arne Slot’s first team on Saturday in the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley, Danns followed it up with his first Under-21s goal of the season as Barry Lewtas’ side took an early lead at The Academy.

Running onto James McConnell’s through ball, the striker sprinted away from the Sparta defence before rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball into the back of the net.

Danns, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Thursday, now boasts three goals from six appearances for the first team, Under-21s and Under-19s since his return from a back injury at the end of November.

Linked with a loan move away in January, it remains to be seen if he will depart Anfield temporarily, with Slot admitting after beating Accrington he does not yet know where the striker will spend the second half of the season.

However, the Czech outfit, who had already seen a Radek Siler effort chalked off for offside, fought back to equalise midway through the half.

Kornel Misciur had already denied Daniel Rus and Lukas Penxa before Siler levelled the scores with a well-placed header after connecting with Petr Hodous’ cross.

Siler would then have a second strike ruled out for offside before Jakub Uhrincat fired them ahead shortly before the break after finishing at the far post from a corner.

Hodous and Tomas Schanelec both fired narrowly off target following the restart, before the latter extended Sparta’s lead. Pouncing on a defensive mix-up, he carried the ball forward before firing home from distance.

Liverpool tried to fight back as Tom Hill was denied by goalkeeper Pedro Antonio Rodriguez from range, before heading just wide late on. Trey Nyoni was also denied by the shot-stopper as the young Reds exited the competition after a fourth-successive defeat.

Liverpool Under-21s: Misciur, Pinnington, Norris, Jonas, Nallo (Lucky, 62), McConnell, Hill, Laffey (Balagizi, 62), Danns (Young, 62), Nyoni, Pilling (Kelly, 69). Unused subs: R. Trueman, Spearing.