Benitez defends Pool academy as Darby eyes start

RAFAEL BENITEZ has defended his decision not to use academy youngsters in the midweek Carling Cup loss to Tottenham and has lined up local boy Stephen Darby for his Barclays Premier League debut today.

The Liverpool boss fielded a raft of overseas fringe players for Wednesday’s 4-2 loss at White Hart Lane, meaning there was no space in the starting XI for any of the club’s youth system players.

Liverpool-born Darby did at least make an appearance from the bench against Spurs, and the 20-year-old right-back is now in line to make his league bow at Bolton today with Alvaro Arbeloa suspended and Philipp Degen sidelined with a fractured metatarsal that could keep him out for two months.

Darby’s likely inclusion in the Reds’ line-up will be a timely riposte to those who have criticised Benitez for not nurturing young, English talent, and the Spaniard insists academy players have a future at Anfield.

Benitez said: “Our young players will need more time. Against Spurs I decided to use the other members of the squad rather than very young players, mainly because the seniors needed to play matches.

“I have to think about having senior men ready to play in the Premier League as the season progresses.

“We used senior squad players and they did not play well. Fernando Torres played 55 minutes and did not play well, if the big names do not perform then you cannot blame the young players.”

Benitez bridled at suggestions his tactics were in contrast to those of Arsenal, whose team of academy products swept aside Wigan in the same competition on Tuesday.

“Do not compare us with Arsenal,” he said. They have been paying big, big money for young players all the time Arsene Wenger has been there.

“But Arsenal were being criticised only recently for using too many inexperienced youngsters. Then they beat Manchester United and Wigan and everyone says they are fantastic.

“It is important to be calm and see the bigger picture.”

Benitez — who was yesterday named Manager of the Month for October — will have all his big-name stars back at the Reebok.

Jose Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt, Robbie Keane and Albert Riera will all feature in the squad.

Benitez added that using Darby in his starting XI this weekend should not be viewed as a gamble.

“Darby is a fantastic young player, a good boy, he has been working very, very hard ever since I have known him,” he said.

Liverpool have managed just one win from their last five visits to Bolton, and Benitez is aware that it is match that must be won if the Reds are to keep pace with Chelsea at the Premier League’s summit.

“These games are the most dangerous,” he said. “Against the top sides it is easy to be motivated, but it is in such matches as this that you win and lose titles.

Bolton manager Gary Megson welcomes back captain Kevin Nolan from suspension and could revert to a 4-5-1 formation with Johan Elmander the man to miss out.

Megson said: “They’ve got some world-class players, backed up by some real class players, but the thing that they’ve all got is a really high work ethic.

“Allied to the talent they’ve got, it’s a real difficult task to beat them.”