Jayden Danns saw his long-awaited return to action cut short by a worrying injury scare as Liverpool's unbeaten Premier League 2 run was ended at Manchester City.
Danns pulled up holding his hamstring only 29 minutes into a 2-0 defeat for the under-21s at the Joie Stadium on Monday night.
The 19-year-old striker was making his first appearance since suffering a serious hamstring injury playing for Rob Page's side back on September 27.
With 18-year-old Senegalese centre-back Mor Talla Ndiaye making his debut from the bench following his January arrival, Liverpool fell to their first defeat in 10 games in the competition.
The loss ended Liverpool's hopes of finishing top of Premier League 2 with one game of the regular season remaining, although they are virtually guaranteed a place in the top eight and a home tie in the first round of the play-offs.
Liverpool went behind in disappointing fashion on 15 minutes as City played the ball down the left and a low cross from Christian McFarlane from the byline was tapped in by the unmarked Floyd Samba.
Reds goalkeeper Armin Pecsi made a good save to deny Ryan McAidoo before Will Wright, who replaced Danns, was close with a shot wide after a solo run from inside his own half.
Kieran Morrison, handed his first call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad earlier in the day, was just wide from range shortly before half-time with Liverpool earlier indebted to two good pieces of covering from Calvin Ramsay to prevent City edging further ahead.
The Reds were much more of an attacking threat after the interval, with Wright having a header cleared off the line and Tommy Pilling a clever low free-kick saved.
But City doubled their lead on 62 minutes when Isaiah Dada-Mascoll was left free to head in a corner from McAidoo, with Kyle Kelly close to a consolation late on.
Meanwhile, Liverpool U18s suffered a second successive reverse when they lost 1-0 at struggling Wolves on Saturday.
The Reds, for whom Alvin Ayman suffered an injury during the first half against his former team, were beaten by a goal from Kwasi Senyah in the 69th minute.
Liverpool complete their Premier League 2 programme at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday (kick-off 1pm), while the U18s are at Sunderland in the U18 Premier League North the previous day (kick-off 11am).
LIVERPOOL: Pecsi; Ramsay, Pinnington, Nallo (Ndiaye 63), Ewing; Kelly, Laffey; Morrison, Pilling, Onanuga (Bradshaw 69); Danns (Wright 29). Subs: Misciur, Pitt.
LIVERPOOL U18s: Hall; Hickman (Konde 76), Cisse, Clarke, Ayman (Owen 46), Murray-Holme, Eden, Farkas, Lee Forrester, Yeguo (O’Connor 65), Sonni-Lambie. Subs: Hilditch, Moran.
