Paul Glatzel scored a first competitive goal since his comeback from injury and Billy Koumetio returned as Liverpool earned a thrilling victory in Premier League 2.
Glatzel notched in the closing moments as the young Reds came from behind to beat 10-man West Ham United 4-2 at Rush Green Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The 19-year-old was back for last week's 1-0 win at Arsenal having missed the whole of the 2019/20 season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
And he stepped off the bench against the Hammers to secure a hard-earned triumph as Barry Lewtas's side moved within a point of leaders Derby County with a game in hand.
Luis Longstaff, Tom Clayton and Liam Millar were also on the mark as 17-year-old Koumetio, who had been absent through injury, made his Premier League 2 debut alongside Sepp van den Berg in central defence.
The rollercoaster encounter swung decisively in Liverpool 's favour shortly before the hour when West Ham goalkeeper Joseph Anang was given a straight red card after fouling Longstaff inside the area.
The Hammers were furious, but Millar made no mistake by sending substitute goalkeeper Daniel Jinadu the wrong way to score from the spot and put the visitors ahead 3-2.
Longstaff had given Liverpool the lead in the seventh minute when he ran on to a defence-splitting pass from Leighton Clarkson and smashed home beyond Anang.
Caoimhin Kelleher saved well from Keenan Forson before the home side equalised on 21 minutes, Manny Longelo's strong run and cross from the left finished by Oladapo Afolayan.
And the Hammers went ahead on 35 minutes when Kamarai Simon-Swyer raced in behind the Liverpool defence and squared for Mesaque Dju to score.
The Reds, though, were level four minutes into the second half when Clayton, the matchwinner at Arsenal seven days earlier, poked home at the near post after a scramble from a corner.
Despite their numerical disadvantage for the final half-hour, West Ham continued to create chances and a combination of Kelleher and the post prevented Jamal Baptiste from equalising.
But in the third minute of additional time, Glatzel - who had replaced Jack Bearne midway through the second half - raced forward and curled a shot into the bottom left-hand corner from the edge of the area.
Liverpool's youngsters are next in action on Tuesday when an U21 side concludes their EFL Trophy campaign at Port Vale.
LIVERPOOL U23s: Kelleher; Sharif (Savage 78), Van den Berg, Koumetio, Beck; Clayton, Bearne (Glatzel 67), Clarkson; Longstaff (O'Rourke 89), Cain, Millar. Subs: Winterbottom, Ritaccio.
