'Let's emulate 2005 spirit'
Steve Cooper has called on his Academy youngsters to emulate the spirit of 2005 when Liverpool take on Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield on Friday night - a game you can watch live on LFC TV and online from 7.30pm BST.
In the famous Champions League semi-final eight years ago, the roar of the Kop and the Anfield crowd drove Liverpool on to a memorable victory, and Cooper is hoping the home support of 2013 can help his side get a stronghold on the tie to take to Stamford Bridge for the decider.
"The players know there's a great rivalry between Liverpool and Chelsea and they have had some historic battles in the Champions League, and I remember when Kenny Dalglish got the winner to win the league," Cooper told Liverpoolfc.com.
"This will be a great experience for the players to get the chance to play at Anfield again, especially in a big game like the semi-final.
"This is what the youth cup can offer you, the experience to play on a bigger stage - which can prove to be invaluable because as we've said many times our aim here is to get the players on the big stage, which is playing in the first team.
"So the more experience they can get from playing on the big stage is good and there's no doubt that Friday will offer them that.
"It will be nice playing at home and we do need to use the crowd to get behind us and play some good football.
"We will just focus on the game and make sure we get ourselves ready for it and the boys can show what they can do on a bigger stage.
"The Liverpool fans are fantastic and are the best in the world. Even when they do come and support the U21s and the U18s you can always hear them cheering the lads on and they are genuine supporters and we very much appreciate that.
"If we get a few more people in the ground on Friday then it's a great experience for the players to put themselves on a bigger stage and show what they can do."
Liverpool have played Chelsea twice at U18 level this season, losing home and away by the same 2-1 scoreline.
However, Cooper insists that will have no bearing whatsoever on this tie.
He added: "Chelsea have a big squad and lots of players in their U18s, U21s and NextGen Series teams, so I would imagine there will be different personnel.
"We have had two good games against Chelsea this season and you can see with their recent Youth Cup achievements that they've got a good Academy.
"But we are Liverpool and we need to focus on our players and our game plan and impose the way we play. If we do that we are a good test for anybody."
Asked if managing a team at Anfield in a semi-final will be the highlight of his coaching career so far, Cooper replied: "It's about the players.
"When you work at an Academy and you work with youngsters then they have to come first. That's why we are in this job and that's why we love it and are passionate about what we do.
"Of course for me and the rest of the staff we are going to enjoy being at Anfield but we'll be there to support the players first and foremost.
"It's about them and it always will be, and I just hope the work we do with them can help them along the way."