Rarely has the FA Youth Cup been quite so true to its name as for Liverpool this season.
Injuries and the progression of players to higher age groups has left under-18s coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson with an inexperienced team in recent months.
Throw in the added complication of the U21s playing a prestige match against Paris Saint-Germain at Kirkby on the same night, and the Reds will once again turn to their most fledgling talents when they travel to Port Vale in an FA Youth Cup fourth round tie this evening (kick-off 7pm).
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The plethora of new faces has contributed to an indifferent run of form in the U18 Premier League North, with Saturday's 3-2 loss at home to Blackburn Rovers their fourth consecutive defeat in the league.
During that run, though, came a 2-1 FA Youth Cup win at Bournemouth three days before Christmas, and Bridge-Wilkinson welcomes the further opportunity for his youngsters to sample the more cut-throat nature of the game.
"We have had a young team for a lot of this season, one that is first-year heavy which isn't a problem," he says to the ECHO. "As always, we judge ourselves by our own standards, and with the potential of the players we have, we'd have wanted results to have been better. But in time we hope it can happen.
"The Youth Cup is one of the competitions that we use to really give the boys the experience of trying to win games. We set out to do well in this competition and we spend a lot of time and effort preparing for the game compared to our normal weekly programme. That's to give the boys the added experience of that little bit more pressure, the kind they will have when they are in the first team, no matter where that is. It's all about winning at first-team level."
While the likes of Ben Doak, Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic are all eligible to feature in the competition, their regular involvement with the first-team squad means they are almost certain not to be considered.
"We have a few boys who have stepped up already to the under-21s and beyond," says Bridge-Wilkinson, who led Liverpool to the FA Youth Cup final in 2021. "Being part of the first-team sessions and coming on in games - or in the case of Stefan, starting them - is really important for them. We don't know if we are going to get any of these boys yet, but we will be as strong as we can be."
With Lewis Koumas still recovering from an injury, 16-year-old Jayden Danns - son of former Crystal Palace and Tranmere Rovers midfielder Neil Danns - has stepped into the forward line and scored the opener at Bournemouth last month.
"Jayden has done really well," says Bridge-Wilkinson. "He has taken his chance since he's been in the team and has been in some really nice form. Like any youngster, he still has a lot of work to do but the signs have been positive so far.
"Lewis has had a problem with his foot. He is still a little while off just yet and hopefully he'll be back on grass in the near future."
Around 1,000 supporters are expected to attend Vale Park with Port Vale having reached the last 32 of the FA Youth Cup for the first time since they were beaten 3-2 at home by Everton in 2013.
"It's going to be a tough game and we won't be taking Port Vale lightly," says Bridge-Wilkinson, who spent four years at Port Vale as a player. "The more people there the better, as that will be good for the players on both teams and shows what it is like to be playing in front of supporters.
"Every game is special, but obviously I spent time there as a player. I had a nice time there, it was a good club then and it's still a good one."
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