Thursday, January 15, 2009

Liverpool Look To Set Up Chelsea Youth Cup Clash

Starting as they mean to go on will be what Liverpool Youth will aim for in Bristol this evening.

Hugh McAuley’s side look to continue on the FA Youth Cup trail when they take the long trip down south to take on Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Ground in the fourth round (kick-off 7.30pm).

After a decent 2-1 win to see off Leeds United in the third round, Liverpool will be looking for a similar performance against another Coca-Cola League side. And after a break in fixtures Liverpool’s youngsters will be eager to get back into action as the club seeks to lift the Youth Cup for the third time in the last four seasons.

McAuley said: “We have been back since early last week and we are raring to go. We were due to play a friendly against Wolves on Saturday, but we had to call it off because the pitch was too hard at the Academy.

“But the lads have been working well. You would like a game of some description, but because of the break that hasn’t been possible. But we have prepared as well as we can and it is the same for other teams in the competition.”

He added: “When you play these games in the Youth Cup it is a one-off on the night. And the best team on the night wins. Bristol will relish playing Liverpool on their own ground. It is their ‘cup final’ playing a big team on their own ground, so it is very important the lads go down with the right attitude and set their stall out to compete, then get the ball down and play our football as best we can.”

German striker Marvin Pourie has left the club, but reserve team striker Nathan Eccleston is fit again after injury and returns to the squad. And it is the fire-power of Liverpool’s front players, that McAuley hopes will be key to progress.

He said: “The attacking area is the main part of the team, the most prolific part of the team. We like to think we have goalscorers and we have creative players, who can create opportunities for others to score goals. And given the right opportunities we hope they can do that on Thursday night. But it is obviously important the players realise it will be a game that all 11 players will have to work on both an attacking point of view and defensively as well.”

The way the Youth Cup works, the draw for the fifth round has already been made and Liverpool know they will welcome Chelsea, who beat Walsall 5-1 last night, to Anfield next.

LIVERPOOL YOUTH (from): Bouzanis, Wisdom, Ayala, Kennedy, Buchtmann, Amoo, Ellison, Irwin, Pepper, Kacaniklic, Dalla Valle, Ince, Chamberlain, Roberts, Metcalf, Eccleston.

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