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.