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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Liverpool chase another European final as 29-goal striker change explained

From Curtis Jones and Neco Williams through to Harvey Elliott, the UEFA Youth League has provided a showcase for Liverpool's next generation to hint at future promise.

And opportunity knocks for the latest Academy hopefuls to follow in their path when the Reds aim to make history in the competition.

An under-19 side takes on Juventus in their quarter-final tie this afternoon at the Italian team's training centre in Vinovo just outside Turin (kick-off 3pm, live on BT Sport).

Liverpool will hope to go one better than their previous best run in the UEFA Youth League when they were eliminated from the last eight on penalties by Manchester City four years ago.

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The tournament has already been a stepping stone for several youngsters this term, with Tyler Morton, Conor Bradley and Max Woltman all making Champions League outings having played in the Youth League group stage. Kaide Gordon, Owen Beck, Melkamu Fraudendorf and James Norris have also been given first-team appearances.

And coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson reveals the players are aware of the exposure that can be gained by progressing far in the tournament.

"We spoke at the start of the competition about the opportunity this gives the boys," he says. "It's a stage to play against top teams in Europe and give people an idea of how well you can play the game.

"It's such a key area to develop, pressurised games against top opposition with different cultures and climates and having to change maybe the way you play.

"It's a stage we want them to do well on because it hopefully opens up doors further up, in the U23s, the first team or going out on loan somewhere.

"It's why you enter these competitions, you want the lads to be tested and pushed and play against the best possible opposition.

"We've got 90 minutes against a top, top team to get to a semi-final of a European competition. It doesn't get any bigger in the scheme of things for us."

Liverpool progressed to the last eight after an almighty tussle with Belgian side Genk at Kirkby earlier this month, winning 4-3 on penalties having been held to a 1-1 draw.

Oakley Cannonier scored shortly before half-time, with the 17-year-old striker taking his tally on to 29 for the season by notching in the remarkable 5-5 U18 Premier League North draw at home to Manchester United on Saturday.

And for Bridge-Wilkinson, there has been one major difference behind the striker's progress this campaign.

"The big key to it is that he's fit and been able to play," he says. "Last season he wasn't able to get a run of games, then he'd come back fit and break down again with something different.

"We know the quality he has got and what he can do in front of goal, so it's no surprise he has got up and around those numbers. It's just making sure that he stays fit and keeps playing with a smile on his face.

"Oakley is really bright and his instincts are very natural and it's something we have to make sure we allow him to keep.

"He is very humble, his family background is very good and he is being brought up really well. He is driven and focused and knows what he wants and how to get it."

Bobby Clark, a summer signing from Newcastle United who can play in a variety of midfield and attacking positions, came off the bench to notch the winning penalty against Genk and warmed up for Juventus with a brace against United.

It continued good recent form of the 17-year-old, who has scored four in his last three league outings.

"Bobby is a brilliant lad," adds Bridge-Wilkinson. "He has settled quite quickly and now he is really starting to find his feet and has adapted to the way we train and play.

"He is a bright footballer with lots of ability. He has potential that people saw in him to bring him here and hopefully we continue to see improvement."

Should Liverpool win, they will face Benfica, Sporting Lisbon or Dynamo Kyiv in the semi-finals in Nyon, Switzerland next month.

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