United Youth Face Liverpool In Last Eight

The big prize

Liverpool claimed their place in the last eight with a 3-0 win over Burnley tonight at Turf Moor to knock the Clarets out and set up a dream tie for the Carlisle boys when they run out on the Anfield pitch in, at the very most, three weeks time.

Reds striker Michael Nardiello scored the first goal after 55 minutes, then highly-rated ex-Hull City youngster Paul Anderson made his mark on the game in the latter stages with some great trickery on the right-wing. Anderson was the creator for both the second and third Liverpool goals which came from Craig Lindfield in the space of a minute around the 76 minute mark.

The Merseyside giants play in Group C of the FA Barclaycard Premiership Academy and currently sit in fourth spot, in a group of nine teams, three points behind leaders Manchester United, although Liverpool do have a game in hand.

As a Premiership side the Reds entered the FA Youth Cup in the third round where they defeated Cardiff City 2-0 at home, the goals coming from Austrian under-21 international midfielder Besian Idrizaj and Jimmy Ryan. In the last 32 they knocked out the holders from last season, Ipswich Town, with a 2-1 victory, again at home, this time the goals being scored in the second-half by Paul Anderson and Ryan Flynn, either side of a Town equaliser by Stuart Ainsley.

Carlisle have beaten Macclesfield 3-1, Doncaster 5-3 on penalties, Chipstead 5-1, Huddersfield 2-1 and Sheffield United 2-0 to date and have done unbelievably well to get to the last eight of the premier Youth Team competition in the country. All those ties have been at home though with the draw being amazingly kind to the young Blues so far so they can't really complain with being drawn away, and have even less reason to complain now they will be playing at Anfield.



Updated Quarter-Final Draw :


Ties to be played by Saturday 18 February 2006

1	Crystal Palace	v	Southampton         0-4
2	Manchester City	v	Manchester United
3	Newcastle United	v	Brighton & HA
4	Liverpool	v	Carlisle United

Semi-final, 1st leg, ties to be completed by Saturday 11 March 2006
1	Liverpool	v
	or Carlisle United		Southampton
2	Newcastle United or	v	Manchester City or
	Brighton & HA		Manchester United
Semi-final, 2nd leg, ties to be completed by Saturday 25 March 2006
1		v	Liverpool or
	Southampton		Carlisle United
2	Manchester City	v	Newcastle United or
	or Manchester United	Brighton & HA