All you need to know ahead of tomorrow's quarter-final against Everton
EVERTON v NORWICH CITYFA Youth Cup Sixth Round
7pm kick-off
Goodison Park
Friday, April 5, 2013
Norwich City Under-18s’ fine run in 2013 will be extended this weekend if they manage to book a place in the FA Youth Cup Semi-Finals with victory over Everton at Goodison Park.
Neil Adams’ young Canaries have lost only one of their nine games since the turn of the year after a difficult start to the season last autumn.
Confidence will he high for Friday evening’s clash, with the prize for the winners being a two-legged Semi-Final against Nottingham Forest, with next week’s first-leg (10th) being televised live on ITV 4.
City have won the FA Youth Cup once before, coincidentally beating Everton 30 years ago in the 1983 final.
PREVIOUSLY…
There will be an element of familiarity between the two sides having met twice already this season when drawn in Group One of the initial phase of the Barclays Under-18s Premier League.
Everton came out on top in two high-scoring games, winning 4-2 at Finch Farm in October before triumphing 3-0 at Colney at the beginning of December.
City went on to finish bottom of the table while Everton qualified for the Elite Group by finishing in third place.
ROUTE TO THE QUARTERS…
Toffees
4-2 v Arsenal (A) 18/02/2013 – Fifth Round
3-2 v Port Vale (A) 07/02/2013 – Fourth Round
2-0 v Southampton (A) 10/12/2012 – Third Round
Canaries
2-1 v Birmingham City (H) 26/02/2013 – Fifth Round
2-1 v Millwall (H) 31/01/2013 – Fourth Round
1-0 v Queens Park Rangers (H) 05/12/2012 – Third Round
FROM THE DUGOUT…
Neil Adams: “We’re on a really good run of form in 2013 with some excellent performances and results as well, so we’re going there very confident but Everton are a good side.
“They’ll have done their research on us as we have done on them. Both teams know each other well, and both teams have got really good players. The best team on the night will win the game.
“The lads know it’s a big, big competition – probably the biggest in the country at this level. There’s a buzz around them at the moment.”
FROM THE DRESSING ROOM…
Cameron McGeehan: “Everyone’s really excited for the game and it’s going to be a great experience. Everyone knows their jobs and we’re well organised, so we just want to get out there and win now.
“It’s probably the biggest game of all our lives – at Goodison Park, a big stadium with lots of history. The Youth Cup has got loads of heritage so hopefully we can do well.
“The team has done very to get here. We’ve battled and grinded through every game and hopefully we can do the same in this game. We’re all really, really excited.”
RECENT FORM...
Toffees
W – 1-0 v Chelsea (A) 16/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Elite Group
D – 1-1 v Manchester United (H) 09/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Elite Group
L – 3-4 v Reading (A) 02/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Elite Group
L – 0-3 v Southampton (H) 23/02/2013 – U18s Premier League Elite Group
W – 4-2 v Arsenal (A) 18/02/2013 – FA Youth Cup Fifth Round
Canaries
W – 2-0 v Newcastle United (A) 30/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Group Two
D – 1-1 v Manchester City (A) 16/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Group Two
D – 0-0 v Arsenal (A) 02/03/2013 – U18s Premier League Group Two
W – 2-1 v Birmingham City (H) 26/02/2013 – FA Youth Cup Fifth Round
L – 1-2 v Blackburn Rovers (A) 20/02/2013 – U18s Premier League Group Two
Toffees coach: Kevin Sheedy
Canaries coach: Neil Adams
Toffees squad: Mason Springthorpe (GK), Mateusz Taudul (GK), Russell Griffiths (GK); Ibou Touray, Matthew Pennington, Jake Adelson, Curtis Langton; Conor Grant, Tom Molyneux, Jasper Johns, George Green, Gethin Jones, Oliver Shannon; George Waring, Chris Long, Courtney Duffus.
Canaries squad: Will Britt (GK); Ben Wyatt, Cameron Norman, Harry Barker, Harry Toffolo, Kevin Lokko, Kyle McFadden; Cameron King, Cameron McGeehan, Harvey Hodd, Henry Randall, Jacob Murphy, Josh Murphy, Joe Peacock, Reece Hall-Johnson, Rian Carroll; Carlton Morris, Dominic St Louis, Rhys Browne.
TICKETS…
£3 for adults and £1 for concessions