U21s boss encouraged by improved resolve
Liverpool U21s manager Michael Beale was pleased with his back four as they superbly defended a one-goal advantage to progress to the last eight of the U21 Premier League Cup.
His side, which featured loanee Steven Caulker making his first start in a red shirt, held on to the 1-0 lead provided by Daniel Trickett-Smith against Leeds United at Prenton Park on Tuesday night.
And Beale was delighted with the solid defensive display from his men, who he feels have improved as the season has gone on.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: “I was really pleased. You think earlier in the season when we were letting in sloppy goals and conceding two or three a game and now we seem to have gone past that.
“I thought Ryan [Fulton], Steven [Caulker], Danny [Dan Cleary] were fantastic there. Sam Hart is coming on as a player, you see that week in, week out. So I'm really pleased.
“It was a different type of performance from us. I think earlier in the season, we wouldn't have been able to hold a team like that.
“Sometimes it's ugly but if it's ugly then I'd much rather be winning and in the next round of the cup.”
The boss had to select from a small pool of players, with a number set to be involved with the first team for tonight’s FA Cup third-round replay against Exeter City at Anfield.
But Beale was happy with the victory for his charges - which sets up a meeting with either Brighton and Hove Albion or local rivals Everton in the quarter-finals.
He added: “You knew that we were going to be young tonight because of tomorrow night with one or two playing, which we're really excited about. The U18s played in the morning at Stoke [City] and won, so we're really pleased.
“I thought we had good chances in the game, albeit on the counter-attack. We had good chances to score in the game.
“It's clear who we'd like to play in the next round. It'll be a much-changed team from tonight but the boys that have played tonight haven't done themselves any harm and got us into the next round.”