AcademyU21s PL International Cup preview: 'We need to be at our best to reach the semi-finals'
Barry Lewtas is hoping Liverpool U21s can rise to the occasion and make it a night to remember when they host Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the Premier League International Cup.
After wins over Dinamo Zagreb and Paris Saint-Germain plus a draw with SC Braga and a loss to Hertha BSC during the group stage, Lewtas' side qualified as one of the best third-placed finishers.
Back in January, meanwhile, Palace came to Kirkby and secured a 1-0 victory in a closely fought Premier League 2 encounter.
In the division, the third-placed Reds sit one spot above the young Eagles due to a better goal difference, and head coach Lewtas expects another tough meeting in their cup tie, which kicks off at 7pm BST on Friday at the Academy.
"It's a quarter-final and it's something we are excited about," Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com. "In terms of the opposition, we lost 1-0 to them at home in what I felt was a close game.
"We conceded early, which we were disappointed about, and then we just couldn't break them down to get a goal really.
"We know Crystal Palace have a good team with some good players. We are neck and neck together in Premier League 2, so we know we are going to have to be at our best to get to the semi-finals."
Liverpool go into the game on the back of an excellent display at Blackburn Rovers, where goals from Rhys Williams, James Norris and Layton Stewart gave them a 3-2 win.
Lewtas continued: "I was delighted with the lads in our last game at Blackburn. We played some brilliant football and deservedly got the win.
"We will prepare properly, as we always do, and we have every intention of giving everything we have got in a way that gives us the best opportunity to win this game."