Steven Caulker played for the full 90 minutes as Liverpool Under-21s beat Leeds United 1-0 in the U21 Barclays Premier League Cup at Prenton Park on Tuesday night.
The centre-back, who signed from Queens Park Rangers on loan for the rest of the season earlier this month, has only made cameo appearances off of the substitutes' bench for the first-team so far.
And with the 24-year-old having not been a Liverpool player in time for the Reds' 2-2 draw with Exeter City in the FA Cup third-round earlier this month, rendering him ineligible to play in the Anfield replay on Wednesday night, he instead made his first start for the reserves.
Trickett-Smith's strike enough for victory
The on-loan defender was part of a squad involving young attacking talents Harry Wilson, Brooks Lennon and Adam Phillips - as goalkeeper Ryan Fulton captained Michael Beale's charges at Tranmere.
Whilst Wednesday's cup fixture against Exeter weakened Beale's options, with many of the regulars who beat Sunderland 4-3 in the previous round, in Jürgen Klopp's squad.
After a number of half-chances throughout the first-half, Daniel Trickett-Smith's well-taken effort on the stroke of half-time opened the scoring after Adam Phillips sent the forward through on goal.
Leeds came out strong after the break and forced some good saves out of Fulton, whilst substitute Ovie Ejaria wasted arguably the Reds' best chance of the second-half after 75 minutes as he fired a shot wide.
Alongside Caulker, who was capable and composed throughout, Dan Cleary was on hand with an excellent block late on to deny Lee Parkin's close-range shot.
Reds could face mini-derby in the next round
The victory sets them up with another home game at Prenton Park against either Everton or Brighton & Hove Albion in the quarter-finals, with Millwall, West Ham United, Charlton Athletic, Blackburn Rovers, Hull City and either Southampton or Huddersfield Town amongst the other teams in the next round..