Fulham Under-18s face their biggest FA Youth Cup test yet, when they head north to face Liverpool in the fifth round on Sunday.
Supporters based in the UK will be able to watch for free on FFCtv.
Form
Liverpool:
The young Reds are sat third in the northern strand of the U18 Premier League and have shown great promise throughout the FA Youth Cup rounds so far. They produced one of the shocks of the tournament in the last round, smashing Arsenal 7-1 to ensure that their name remained in the hat. Prior to that, they needed a 94th minute winner at Fleetwood Town in what was a tougher third round tie.
Fulham:
Ali Melloul's side were just as ruthless in their previous Youth Cup match, firing five past Swansea City with no return. They will need to show their ability to bounce back on Sunday, though, having just suffered a league defeat against Crystal Palace.
Dangerman: Louie Koumas
Louie was named as our one to watch ahead of our Under-21s' PL2 game in Merseyside last weekend, and he got his name on the scoresheet as his impressive run continues. He may be drafted in by Head Coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, and our lads will need to be aware of his threat.
Previous Five
Liverpool: LWWWL
Fulham: LWWWL
Melloul:
Head Coach Ali Melloul is expecting a tough game in Merseyside but is looking forward to seeing how his players cope.
"It’s definitely going to be a competitive game and this is exactly what we want for our players. It’s an important stage of their development and these types of games provide an excellent opportunity to learn and gain more experience.
"We have actually played Liverpool already this season in the Premier League Cup and a number of our lads were involved in the Under-21 squad who played Liverpool last week. Both teams will have a clear idea of what to expect."
Looking back, Ali was pleased with how the lads played in the previous round in tough conditions at Swansea City.
"The boys performed really well on the night, but the most pleasing thing was their ability to travel twice in two weeks and remain focused on the task.
"I think we have been drawn away in the FA Youth Cup for every round since 2019."
Our Under-18s boss has also been impressed with the quality of Marco Underwood, our young goalkeeper who recently signed a scholarship deal at the club.
"Marco has been a great addition to the squad. He brings some extra experience having come from Woking FC and he'll also drive competition which is also really important."
FFCtv
Tune in from 12:55pm to watch all the action unfold at Liverpool's Academy training venue for free. Commentary will be provided by Gentleman Jim.
