ACADEMY FOOTBALL: Derby boost can aid Youth Cup progress
FRESH from a weekend derby victory Everton Youth team look to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in six years when they take on Norwich City tonight.
Neil Dewsnip's side will be in buoyant mood going into tonight's fifth-round clash and will be aiming to set up a last-eight tie at Manchester City, who beat Newcastle United 4-2 last night.
Although the Everton youngsters would have preferred another chance of playing on Goodison this evening, they will be determined to make Widnes's Stobart Stadium a home from home.
Everton have beaten Nantwich Town 2-0 at Goodison and were 3-1 winners at Burnley in the last round. They will be looking for a similarly professional performance against another Coca-Cola Championship side.
Coach Dewsnip has been delighted with side's progress this season. He said: "We are really looking forward to it. The place is alive having won the derby. In recent seasons in the Youth Cup the ball hasn't bounced for us and this time we have made progress and obviously we want to make further progress.
"We have played well so far, but we know we will have to continue to do so to get through."
Norwich, who beat Everton in the 1983 Youth Cup final, have already beaten two Premier League sides in this season's competition. They beat Wigan Athletic 1-0, while in the last round knocked Stoke City out in a penalty shoot-out.
Everton have done their homework on Norwich and Dewsnip knows his side will need to be at their best to progress. Dewsnip said: "We have had them watched and we have been analyzing them this week. They are an Academy and have a good reputation for producing good players. We rarely come up against them, but they will be a real challenge. They beat Chelsea on Saturday and Chelsea are quite strong now in youth football, so it will be a tough game."
The side against Burnley in the last round featured two players with first team experience in Jack Rodwell and Jose Baxter, but whether they play on Thursday will depend on the needs of David Moyes's first-team.
If they are available Dewsnip will have a full-strength squad.
EVERTON YOUTH (from): Davies, Duffy, Rodwell, McCarten, Barnett, McCready, Akpan, Wallace, Craig; Codling, Powell, Baxter, Bidwell, Roberts, Kinsella, McAleny, Krenn, Sheppard, McArdle.
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