Beale: Let's show our derby quality

Kick-off is at 7pm GMT and you can watch the whole game live on LFCTV HD from 6.30pm.

The young Reds are level on points with David Unsworth's Blues in the Barclays U21 Premier League table, with Beale's charges ahead in fifth place on goal difference, and as ever Mersey pride is at stake too.

With the U18s suffering a heavy recent defeat to their local counterparts, the coach is hoping his talented side can keep up the excellent form which has seen them record wins over Manchester City and Chelsea in recent weeks.

"I think form goes out of the window in these games and sometimes composure too, so I want us to be really focused and determined but at the same time I don't want us to lose our identity in trying to be macho about it," Beale told Liverpoolfc.com.

"We have to be true to ourselves as a group of players and show what we work on every day in training. I thought we did that recently away against Manchester City and we did the same last week against Chelsea.

"It's important we keep playing in that style by playing some excellent attacking football. In recent games we've played against Everton we have lacked a little composure and when you are young it's how you use that excitement and how you can control it.

"Yes, we want to be committed and play to our maximum level, but it's not all about who rolls their sleeves up and works the hardest as I want us to show our quality. That's key for us on the night.

"Fair play to Everton and we have a lot of respect for them. They have got some excellent young players who are well-known on Merseyside and we can both be proud in the north west seeing what good young players both clubs have got."

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The last time the two teams met at U21 level was on April 14, 2014 when they played out a 1-1 draw at Southport FC's Merseyrail Community Stadium.

He added: "I thought the pitch was very difficult at Southport that night as it was very dry and bobbly. We had two teams who were hugely committed but the game lacked quality because the players were overexcited, so I'd like to see us control ourselves a little bit more.

"I remember Joao Carlos Teixeira producing a moment of magic for Jordan Lussey's goal and Joao is doing really well on loan now at Brighton. We are proud of him.

"It was also one of the first games that Jordan Williams played in midfield at U21 level and look at how far he has come, being on the first-team bench for the last few games."

Including tonight's match, there are 10 games left for Liverpool in the league this season, and Beale insists it's an exciting time for his players.

"There's a big focus on the U21 games now as, unfortunately, we are out of the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League, and playing a game every week now gives the boys a lot to work for," he explained.

"It doesn't matter how much training you do, as you get your match legs from playing games. We didn't have that in the first part of the season so we are looking forward to playing a lot of games now."

Beale's charges are three points behind leaders Manchester United in the table, with the Reds also having two games in hand.

While player development rather than league position remains the main focus at Academy level, it does give the players an opportunity to really challenge themselves as they chase top spot.

Beale said: "What I would say is we are three points off the top but also four points off relegation, so it's a strange league this year with teams beating each other. In the last couple of years we have done really well at U21 level.

"With the amount of players we have sent out on loan this season I think we have been clear where our focus is, which is about giving boys a career, hopefully with Liverpool.

"It was a nice sign last Monday when we had 10 or 11 of the regular U21 squad missing and we got a great result like that against Chelsea. I think that shows massive rewards for the work the Academy staff and players have been doing."