Rafa ready to give youth a chance

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Rafael Benitez will unleash some of Liverpool's promising youngsters against Crewe - but not at the expense of a Carling Cup fourth-round spot.While strengthening the Reds first team for a Premier League title challenge has been Benitez's priority, he is also building for the future and bolstered the reserve side with an array of talented youth players. The policy has begun to reap its reward as Liverpool won the Premier Reserve League title last season in addition to their back-to-back FA Youth Cup wins in 2006 and 2007. Emiliano Insua, Damien Plessis and Daniel Pacheco in particular are three players who have received encouraging reports from reserve-team coach Gary Ablett. All three will hope to be involved in the third-round clash against the League One side but Benitez is wary of fielding below-strength teams in the competition. The Spaniard had his fingers burnt in 2005 when he fielded an inexperienced team in an FA Cup match against Burnley and was criticised for being disrespectful to the tradition of cup competitions in English football. "It's an important competition for us but it's also one which gives us the chance to use some different players," said Benitez. "We have to be careful though. We want to win the game and go on to win the tournament so while we can use some of our youngsters, we need to make sure we get the team right for winning. "It's a good opportunity for the youngsters who are selected. We have four or five of them training with the first team every day so they know how we work, but to be involved for a match gives them a chance to show us what they can do. "They played well in pre-season and also in some games last year, so we know they have the quality to have a future here." Crewe will arrive at Anfield on the back of a 4-3 defeat at home to Southend at the weekend - but Benitez is not expecting them to sit back and defend. "I think they will probably attack more than Stoke did on Saturday," he explained. "They will play direct to their strikers, look to win second balls and also have some success from set-pieces. "They will be well organised and will look to break on the counter attack. We know it won't be an easy game. In England games against clubs from a lower league are always tough. "Hopefully we can play well and score the first goal because then things will be easier for us." One player definitely in line to make his Anfield debut is Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri with first choice Jose Reina set to rested for the match. Reina has played every minute of the Reds' campaign so far and Benitez is keen to give the 25-year-old signed from Palmeiras in the summer a chance to prove himself. "Normally, Diego will play in the Carling Cup - he is a fantastic professional who is learning all the time about English football," Benitez told the club's official website. "It's a different style to what he was used to in Brazil but I think he showed in pre-season that he can do everything well. He's a good goalkeeper and can challenge Pepe Reina."

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