You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Steven Gerrard's Liverpool under-19 team kept themselves well on course for the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League with an oh-so-comfortable 3-0 victory over Maribor at Prenton Park.

First-half goals from Curtis Jones and Ben Woodburn via the penalty spot and a late strike from substitute Glen McAuley earned a victory that should have been much greater in margin.

Liverpool set up with three at the back in a 3-4-3 with Woodburn in centre midfield and Jones, Liam Millar and Bobby Adenakye in the front three.

Maribor though should have been ahead within two minutes. Camacho lost possession and a throughball found Kukovec Nino far too easily but his effort was horribly sliced.

Gerrard's team responded quickly though and were ahead within four minutes.

Jones cut in from the left and his shot from the edge of the area took a crucial deflection to take it past Canjko Tibor in the visitors' goal.

Liverpool extended their lead on 11 minutes. A good cross from Camacho on the right found Liam Millar and as he shaped to shoot he was dragged down by Zgajner Blaz. Woodburn stepped up and made no mistake from the spot.

The Reds were occasionally a little open at the back but looked like they had plenty of goals in them at the other end.

(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Bobby Adekanye fired over from a good Millar cut back while the same player was then brought down when going in on goal by Blaz. The referee saw no foul, having previously booked Blaz for the penalty.

A lovely interchange between Jones and Eddie Tagseth got Adekanye in again but a low curling effort was just the wrong side of the far post while Jones and Woodburn combined to see the former fire over.

Adekanye's pace latched on to Millar's lovely flick but from a narrow angle he should have squared to the waiting Tagseth who had a tap-in. Instead, keeper Canjko Tibor was able to save.

Maribor were poor at clearing their lines and Rafa Camacho got forward well to pick up a loose ball but his shot was too high.

(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The second half brought more of the same with Liverpool camped in the Maribor half and simply trying to find a way through.

Rafa Camacho came close with a superb effort from a narrow angle while a lovely run from Adekanye ended with a left-foot shot which was beaten away by Tibor.

Millar looked to have extended Liverpool's lead on 67 minutes when turning home Rafa Camacho's cross but a late offside flag meant his joy was shortlived.

Liverpool's profligacy in front of goal almost cost them with 12 minutes left. A Maribor corner dropped in the box and Nino's shot was goalbound until blocked by a combination of George Johnston and keeper Kamil Grabara.

A lovely Herbie Kane pass put Camacho - who had a good game at right wing-back - away and his cutback was put over by substitute McAuley.

The Irishman wasn't to be denied, though, finishing with authority when Tagseth's cross from the left was only half-cleared in the last five minutes.

Masterson's excellent tackle on Nuno kept the clean sheet intact and it goes in the books as a good win for Gerrard's team. He will know though that it should have been even more comprehensive.

LIVERPOOL: Grabara, Camacho, Tagseth, Masterson, Williams, Johnston, Jones (Dixon-Bonner 88), Kane, Millar (McAuley 74), Woodburn, Adekanye (Longstaff 78).