Norwich City’s U21s relegated from Premier League’s top tier after 2-1 defeat at Liverpool’s U21s
Glenn Middleton has signed a professional contract with Norwich City. Picture: JASON DAWSON/JASONPIX - Credit: JASON DAWSON/JASONPIX
Norwich City's development squad will compete in the second tier of Premier League development football next season after failing to beat Liverpool's U21s in their must-win season finale on Monday afternoon in Kirby.
Dmitri Halajko's youngsters - who featured none of the club's first team squad - needed to beat the Reds to stand any chance of staying up and then rely on results involving nearest rivals Middlesbrough and Leicester later on Monday evening.
Glenn Middleton calmly rifled the visitors in front but the Reds were back on level terms within six minutes when Ryan Kent, who spent time on-loan alongside Jacob Murphy at Coventry City in League One earlier this season, slotted Ovie Ejaria's cut-back past Aston Oxborough.
Liverpool continued to dominate, with the England youth international diverting João Teixeira's strike against his bar prior to the interval, but Lloyd Jones rose unmarked at the far post 10 minutes from time to seal the Canaries' fate after Kent picked out the home captain.
City's miserable afternoon was completed when January signing Ebou Adams was forced to depart in stoppage time after landing awkwardly on his left shoulder.
Norwich will finish bottom of the 12-team top flight, on 19 points, if Leicester's U21s pick up more than a point from their final two league matches.
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• Liverpool U21s (starting XI): Bogdan, Flanagan, Ilori, Jones, Maguire, Chirivella, Ejaria, Gomes, Teixeira, Kent, Lennon. Subs: Sambu, Pollock, Lewis, Syme, Hall.
• Goals: Kent (24), Jones (80)
• Norwich City U21s: Oxborough, Ramsay, Crowe, Godfrey, Efete, Grant, Adams (Pollock, 90), McIntosh, Higgs (Lewis, 45), Ashley-Seal (Sambu, 81), Middleton. Unused subs: Pollock, Syme, Hall.
• Goal: Middleton (18)
