LEEDS UNITED found out about cup upsets at the weekend, but Liverpool Youth will be keen not to be on the end of one at Elland Road tonight (kick-off 7pm).
With Liverpool having won the Youth Cup back-to-back in 2006 and 2007, Leeds will look on the visit of Hugh McAuley’s side in tonight’s third-round tie as the chance to land a prize scalp.
While it wouldn’t be a shock to rival former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister’s Leeds first team’s defeat to Histon on Sunday in the FA Cup, McAuley will be keen for his side not to come unstuck at the first hurdle.
Liverpool as much as anyone know the benefits of a lengthy run in the competition they have won three times.
Coach McAuley said: “Already there are big clubs out of the competition.
“The Youth Cup is a one-off situation and anything can happen on the night. You have to perform, but it is an excellent competition to keep the momentum to your season going.
“It also gives players the chance to play on big grounds. We are obviously playing at Elland Road, which is great, and if we are lucky enough you can get a game at Anfield. That is what I want our lads to do.
“It will be a tough game because Leeds have traditionally had good teams and competitive teams, and the first round is the trickiest.
“You have to be right and play well with the winning mentality and strength of character to go through.
“We have got players who can create goals and score goals and the results this season show that.
“It will be about that but also about us performing as a team, defending as a team and being resolute when we have to do. We need to do our jobs responsibly, especially at set-pieces which, having seen Leeds when they beat Oadby Town in the last round, they are strong at.”
He added: “We had an Academy in-service weekend so without any game we have trained and had plenty of time to prepare for Leeds. We had a game on Friday with Gary Ablett’s players and came in on Saturday and did some work and it has gone well. So we are in good shape and looking forward to it.”
Due to the make-up of the Youth Cup – the prestigious competition is for under-18s players only – several of tonight’s Liverpool side will be making their debut in the competition. But McAuley is hoping they do well as the competition provides the challenges to help the youngsters enhance their football education.
Liverpool were beaten the last time they faced Leeds in the Youth Cup in 2001. None of those involved that night or in recent seasons have made a significant breakthrough at Anfield so far, but McAuley still believes the competition can act as a springboard to progress through the club’s ranks.
The Liverpool coach helped guide the likes Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher and David Thompson to lift the Youth Cup for the first time in the club’s history in 1996.
And while he would love to win the trophy again this season, just seeing one of tonight’s line-up follow in the footsteps of that trio into the first team is the ultimate aim.
McAuley said: “It is an excellent vehicle for young players to develop and show what they are capable of doing against the best players in the country.
“It can stand them in good stead for promotion to the second team for starters and then Melwood and the first team. Hopefully a long run can some of these lads do that.”
Around half tonight’s squad were involved in the Youth Cup last season with Steve Irwin – who played in the final when Liverpool won the trophy at Old Trafford in 2007 and captained the side last season until they went out in the fifth round at Sunderland – the most experienced.
Other Melwood-based players, Australian goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis and Spanish centre-back Daniel Ayala, will feature, but Nathan Eccleston is missing with a toe injury.
The Manchester-born striker is likely to be out until the new year.
LIVERPOOL YOUTH (from): Bouzanis, Metcalf, Wisdom, Kennedy, Ayala, Cooper, Buchtmann, Irwin, Amoo, Ince, Pepper, Roberts, Chamberlain, Kacaniklic, Dalla Valle, Pourie, Ellison, Duyan, Kasami.
