Thursday 27 October 2016 13:20, UK
From Liverpool wonderkids to Manchester City's rising stars, we pick out five young players who shone in the EFL Cup...
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Teenage full-back Alexander-Arnold was arguably the pick of the youngsters in Liverpool's 2-1 win over Tottenham, impressing at both ends before his second-half substitution. The 18-year-old was energetic and combative, and Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness was impressed. "He had a super game," he said. "He has all the attributes to be a top player."
Ovie Ejaria
Ejaria came through the ranks at Arsenal before moving to Liverpool in 2014, and on the evidence of his debut it was a smart piece of business for the Reds. The rangy midfielder acquitted himself well at Anfield and grew in confidence as the game wore on. "I was excited by him," said Jamie Redknapp. "He's strong and he holds people off."
Harry Winks
Mauricio Pochettino has described Winks as a "very important player for the future" of Tottenham, and he impressed on only his second start. The 20-year-old was deployed alongside Eric Dier in holding midfield, and his clever distribution helped Spurs ease the pressure. Winks recorded the highest passing accuracy of anyone to have started the game (91.2 per cent). It's easy to see why Pochettino is fan.
Pablo Maffeo
The 19-year-old right-back received a warm embrace from manager Pep Guardiola after his impressive showing in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. City were beaten but the Spaniard was combative in his battle with Marcus Rashford and that caught the eye of his boss who called his performance "amazing", highlighting the number of one-on-one duels he won against opponents.
Aleix Garcia
Another Spaniard to enhance his reputation for City was fellow teenager Garcia who looked more than comfortable in midfield despite finding himself up against Paul Pogba among others. In fact, the former Villarreal player completed 20 more passes than anyone else on the pitch and looks to have the technique and temperament to cope with the rigours of the Premier League.
