3/1 To Win
Derby County Under-18s all but secured the Premier League – North title with a 6-0 demolishing of Wolverhampton Wanderers in their final game of the season.
The victory leaves Justin Walker’s side six points clear of second placed Liverpool, with the Reds having two games remaining.
The Under-18s’ demolition of Wolves swung the odds massively in Derby’s favour as Liverpool now need to score 12 goals with no reply over their final two ties to overcome the goal difference disparity.
Callum Minkley opened the scoring for the Rams at the Shrewsbury Sports Village as Max Bird floated a corner in which was headed back across goal by Jordan Brown and turned in via Minkley.
Shortly before half-time the advantage was doubled; Bird threaded a lovely weighted through ball into the path of Archie Brown and he shrugged off the final defender to apply a tidy finish.
It took seven minutes after the restart for Derby to find the net again, Louie Sibley was fouled in Wolves’ box and Morgan Whittaker stepped up to slam home a penalty.
Twenty minutes from time Sibley found himself on the scoresheet, Festy Ebolese brilliantly took on three players on the right-hand side and Sibley fainted passed the final man before slamming into the roof of the net.
The Rams’ fifth of the game was added by substitute Liam Delap as he latched onto a saved shot from Jason Knight to tap home and fellow substitute Eiran Cashin made it six different scorers with his first touch in injury time to complete the route of Wolves.
What’s to come…
Liverpool take on Manchester City at the Blue’s Academy Stadium in Manchester on Tuesday, kick off: 11am.
If Liverpool claim victory in that tie, they will face Middlesbrough the following Saturday at home, if points are dropped in either tie or they do not gain +12 goal difference, the Rams will have won the Premier League – North title.
Should Derby be champions, they will face the winner of the Premier League – South, Arsenal, in a play-off tie.
Words by Andrew Haines
Photos by Luke Thrower
