Everton under-21s welcome their Liverpool counterparts tonight David Unsworth hopes playing the mini-derby at Goodison will help give his “hurting” players a lift.Everton under-21s welcome their Liverpool counterparts tonight (7pm) and are looking to avenge a 2-1 defeat to the Reds earlier in the season.
Unsworth admits some of his players were overawed by playing at Goodison earlier in the campaign, but believes they can use it to their advantage this evening.
Everton go in search of their first Premier League u-21 win since February, that would help move them away from the bottom of the table while Liverpool are looking to close the gap on leaders Manchester United.
Unsworth is confident his side can claim a derby win and settle the score after Ryan Ledson's opener was cancelled out by Dan Cleary before Harry Wilson struck an injury-time winner in March.
"They were hurting after that game and quite rightly so,” Unsworth said.
"Sometimes you have got to take your medicine.
“We are looking forward to the game and we have quite a lot of Scousers in our team, a lot of young players who have come up through the ranks playing against Liverpool.
“They are our arch rivals and always will be.
"These are great games to play in and we have the added bonus of it being at Goodison.
"We'd love to play every week at Goodison, it was something I did in the reserves.”
Unsworth added: "I felt early on in the season a few were caught in the headlights. A few of them hadn't played there before and it is a big occasion.
“But they now have a few games under their belt at Goodison so it shouldn't be as intimidating.
"I've looked at Liverpool, they are a good team, it will be a good game."
Everton have nine of their Academy players out on loan and so are expected to once again field a youthful team.
The absence of a number of the Blues' most talented u-21s has meant Unsworth has been forced to call on players from the younger age groups.
Results are secondary - UnsyEverton have lost four and drawn one of their last five league games but Unsworth insists results come second to the players' development.
"We're trying not to look at the season in terms of league standing because we are in the business of developing players,” he said.
“What the team are doing is separate from the individuals and we are focused on the individuals and the different stages they are at.
"Yes, we'd like to be at the top and have that winning mentality and winning mentality but these young players are possibly playing four or five years advanced of what they should be doing.
"But they have been given this opportunity to play in the under-21s and are being stretched.
"Now, if you were playing in the u-21s and had all your best players available and you're winning 5-0 every week then you're not developing young players. There is no challenge there and they are not being pushed.
"The old u-21s here will always go out on loan that is integral. The u-21s games programme is not what it should be and to only have 12 teams is wrong.
"So the solution we have come to is to send our older players out on loan and we have nine players out on loan at the moment.
"What's happening now is that the u-21 team is becoming a youth team but they are being stretched.
"Now they are playing against bigger players, more powerful and fitter players.
“The knock on affect is that the scholars and u-16s are also being stretched.
"And it is that, we believe, will help us in the long-term produce better players. Winning 5-0 with all your best u-21s every week is not stretching.
"We are in the business of developing players, not winning leagues."
Meet the Everton youngsters who could feature at Goodison tonight
Russell Griffiths, 19The under-18 title-winning goalkeeper has been given a taste of the Everton first-team this season.
An excellent organiser, Griffiths has travelled with the Blues around Europe as well as being on the bench in the Premier League during Tim Howard's injury.
Jonjoe Kenny, 18Kirkdale-born Kenny has been made captain of the under-21s despite his tender years.
The defender feels his best position is at right-back but his decision-making and tidy playing style means he can be deployed at centre-half and in midfield.
Tyias Browning, 20With three senior appearances to his name, Browning will be one of the most experienced members of the under-21 squad tonight.
Browning, who started in the Europa League against Krasnodar in December, is expected to feature more regularly in Roberto Martinez's squads next term.
Brendan Galloway, 19Bought from MK Dons last summer, Galloway is being primed for stardom at Goodison Park.
A cultured, ball-playing centre-half in the John Stones mould, the teenager is still learning his craft but will feature for the first-team next season, although a loan spell in the Football League is likely.
Antonee Robinson, 18Speedy left-back Robinson was born in Milton Keynes and joined the Everton Academy at the age of 11.
Robinson was part of the Blues u-18s side that thrashed their Liverpool counterparts 5-0 at Finch Farm in February.
Ryan Ledson, 18The tenacious, tough-tackling but talented Ledson is already a player well known to Evertonians.
At the club since the age of five, the Fazakerley teenager has made swift progress through the ranks at Goodison and is expected to be a first-team regular of the future.
Thomas Davies, 16Midfielder Davies will be one of the youngest players in Unsworth's ranks tomorrow night at Goodison.
The first-year scholar stands out for his top notch work-rate and started in the u-21s' draw at Norwich earlier this month.
Liam Walsh, 17Huyton's Walsh was rewarded for his progress at Everton with a first professional contract in March.
The skilful England u-18 midfielder is highly-thought of by Martinez.
Kieran Dowell, 17Another to sign a first pro deal with the Blues this year, Dowell made his senior debut in December's Europa League game against Krasnodar.
The Ormskirk-born player joined the club as a seven-year-old and can play across the forward line.
David Henen, 18On-loan from Olympiakos, Belgian teenager Henen has shown flashes of his quality throughout the season.
Bags of pace and an eye for goal make Henen an exciting prospect and his Everton future is likely to be resolved in the coming weeks with the Blues mulling over signing him permanently.
Calum Dyson, 17Fazakerley's Dyson scored six goals and made 10 assists during Everton under-18s title-winning side.
The striker, who was handed a first pro contract last summer, scored twice in the Blues u-18s' 5-0 win over Liverpool earlier this year.
Sam Byrne, 19Striker Byrne swapped Manchester United's academy for Everton's in July 2014.
A Republic of Ireland u-19 international, Byrne played as part of a midfield three against Chelsea for Unsworth's side last week.
Michael Donohue, 17At Everton since the age of eight, the winger from Warrington always catches the eye with his ability to beat defenders and race to the touchline.
Donohue signed as a first-year scholar last summer.
Harry Charsley, 18Wirral midfielder Charsley put pen to paper on pro terms with the Blues last summer.
And it was Charsley's winning goal against Manchester City on the final day of the season that clinched the u-18 Premier League title for Everton last season.
By Phil Kirkbride / Echo
