Ryan McLaughlin is targeting a flying start to this year's Barclays U21 Premier League – and the full-back is keen to impress Brendan Rodgers with his performances this season.

McLaughlin was a stand-out performer last time around, when Alex Inglethorpe's side were beaten semi-finalists against Manchester United.

Southampton provide the opposition on the opening day of the new campaign in Kirkby and the game is exclusively live on LFC TV and LFCTV Online - sign up to the latter now to watch online from £2.99 a month.

McLaughlin told Liverpoolfc.com: "It will be great to come back and play at the Academy because we haven't in a while.

"Southampton have a good team, so it will be a good test for us as a first match. Hopefully we will get off to a good start and then we will play well and hopefully just carry on.

"I hope to just be playing well and hopefully the performances can impress the first-team manager.

"We have a young team, but we are very confident for the coming season. Pre-season has been great. After about two weeks of the summer break, you're dying to get back again.

"The pre-season games have been prepared so we are just ready now to start off the season and hopefully we will get off to a good start."

McLaughlin made his first appearance for the Liverpool first team in a friendly against Roma during last season's tour of North America.

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He went up against Francesco Totti that day - and he didn't look out of place. Back at Kirkby he excelled under the guidance of newly-appointed coach Inglethorpe.

Now he's ready to push on a step further and try and force his way into the Melwood fold.

"Our goal at the Academy is to get to a few training sessions up at Melwood or go there full-time or get in the squad for any games," he said. "So hopefully we can play well and we can get an opportunity.

"If we are doing well in the league, then you get to the play-offs and you play against better teams and you can raise your profile as well, because a lot of people will be watching those matches.

"So obviously you want to be playing the best games, the games that are going to be watched most, so we want to be getting to that stage and play well in it."