Liverpool youngsters enter the lions’ den

LIVERPOOL boss Rafael Benitez will throw his youngsters into the lions’ den at Millwall in the Carling Cup as he protects senior stars for more critical games to follow.

The Spanish coach has three vital matches in eight days after the third round tie in south London, and those clearly are his main priority.

So top stars like Djibril Cisse, Sami Hyypia, Dietmar Hamann, Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso are not expected even to travel to London for what could be a daunting clash with last season’s FA Cup losing finalists, who make a habit of cutting the big guns down to size.

Benitez plans to give reserve top scorer Neil Mellor his first chance of the season.

And 19-year-old local boy Darren Potter, who played in both legs of the Champions League qualifier with Grazer AK, will also get another opportunity to shine.

So too will 20-year-old centre-back Zak Whitbread, who is in line for his first team debut.

Benitez has also said that squad players Igor Biscan, Salif Diao, Stephen Warnock and Florent Sinama-Pongolle can expect to be included. Spanish full-back Josemi - suspended for Saturday’s win over Charlton - will get a run-out.

Benitez said: “We have a good squad and, when you see the amount of competitions you must play in each season, I want to use young players at some stage even though I must insist that we always want to win every match. But there is now an opportunity for some of the younger lads to play in the first team. I have decided to use all the squad, it is something I did at Valencia.

“I used all the players during the season and then when you arrive at the end of the season, everybody is in a good physical condition for the final matches.

“I have the same idea here. You cannot progress in all the competitions if you do not give everybody games. A tie like this will give the younger players more experience.”

Benitez has one eye on the next three fixtures after the cup tie. They include Saturday’s trip to Blackburn and the following weekend’s home match with Birmingham, both games Liverpool must win to keep in contact with the sides above them.

Between these two winnable League matches is next Wednesday’s vital Champions League return with Deportivo La Coruna, another game Liverpool dare not lose if they are to hope to qualify for the next stage.

So the Carling Cup comes some way down the priority list for Benitez. “In Spain it is the same, you play maybe one game only in a competition like this against a team from a lower division. They are very difficult games and you need the right mentality and attitude. Hopefully with more quality you are able to win.

“We have a lot of games, you cannot use the same players all year round. You must change to give others opportunities, and it is the chance to see young players.

“It will be difficult, I have watched videos of Millwall and my staff have also watched them. We know how they play and we have no doubts about how tough a game this is.”