The young Reds took a lead in each half of a game packed with chances and incidents, first through Sonni-Lambie and then Josh Abe.
City restored parity swiftly both times, but the away side finally put it to bed when Sonni-Lambie scored his second and their third on 85 minutes.
Liverpool got themselves in front after just nine minutes at the City Football Academy.
Abe won possession and sent AJ Yeguo running at the opposition defence before receiving back the ball on the right flank.
Abe’s low cross reached Sonni-Lambie at the far post and the striker made no mistake with a tap-in.
That advantage was wiped out almost instantaneously, however.
City levelled by working the ball down their own right side and feeding it to the edge of the box for Floyd Samba, who was able to dispatch past Bailey Hall.
The balance of the hosts’ greater possession with the visitors’ threat on the counter-attack was making for an even affair.
Hall kept out a good chance for Kylan Midwood before another driving Yeguo run saw the Reds player let fly from range and clatter the post with the goalkeeper beaten.
Back the other way, Simon Wiles’ Liverpool needed Hall again, this time with a brilliant save to deny Teddie Lamb after a turn and strike inside the area.
A last-ditch tackle by Leke Drake prevented La’more Lee Forrester from shooting having got himself through, as half-time arrived with nothing to split the sides.
The Reds enjoyed the better of it after the restart, and Lee Forrester was twice denied by City goalkeeper Max Hudson – on the second occasion, at the near post with his head.
Wiles’ charges did regain the lead on 65 minutes, though.
Again it commenced with Abe winning the ball in the middle of the park, but this time he ran forward himself and teed up Sonni-Lambie to the left of goal.
Sonni-Lambie’s effort from an angle was saved and the rebound came out to Abe, who lashed it home for 2-1.
History would repeat itself, though, as City equalised within moments. A ball into the box was only half-cleared by Liverpool and Jake Wain clinically beat Hall.
The home team were now pushing strongly and hit the woodwork twice in the same minute on 76.
Christian Dunbar-McDonald cut in from the left channel and fired in a shot that Hall pushed onto the post, and Floyd Samba then thudded the crossbar from 25 yards.
Sonni-Lambie and substitute Haydn Murray-Holme were both thwarted as the pendulum began to swing back Liverpool’s way – and they would indeed find a winner.
City were again troubled by good work from Lee Forrester and a fine Murray-Holme ball over the top set up Sonni-Lambie to supply a dinked finish for all three points.
Team
Liverpool U18s: Hall, Conde, Ayman, Cisse, Clarke, Upton, Abe (Murray-Holme, 83), Hickman, Sonni-Lambie, Yeguo (O’Connor, 78), Lee Forrester.
Unused subs: Bernard, Owen, Powney Wain.
Next up
The Reds’ U19s are on the road again in the UEFA Youth League next Wednesday (October 22), facing Eintracht Frankfurt.
Kick-off in Germany is 1pm BST and All Red Video members can watch the game live.
