NextGen Preview: Liverpool must beat high-flying Rosenborg to avoid elimination

Rodolfo Borell and his young apprentices must earn their first points of this seasons campaign against the tournaments surprise package from Norway or face elimination after just four games of the group stage.

Liverpool welcome Norwegian outfit Rosenborg to Merseyside later today in a NextGen match of huge importance. Liverpool have seen many of their star players from last season’s semi-final run graduate to the first team and it is clear that this has had a detrimental effect on the NextGen squad as after three games so far they have yet to secure a single point.

At the start of the tournament a home fixture against Rosenborg would have appeared a banker three points opportunity however the Norwegian outfit have been the tournaments outstanding surprise package winning all their fixtures so far and topping a difficult looking group ahead of Borussia Dortmund and reigning champions Inter Milan.

The two sides faced last Friday and Liverpool were comprehensively outplayed in a 3-0 victory for RBK and if Rodolfo Borrell’s men are to have any chance of progressing past the group stage this season three points is an absolute must at Langtree Park.

Both teams have a game in hand so a win for Liverpool will move them to three points and keep them within touching distance of Inter on seven; defeat meanwhile will condemn Liverpool to a very early exit while a draw will leave them with only a shred of a chance of entry to the second round.

Breaking down a Rosenborg defence that has only conceded the one goal in their first three fixtures will be the major challenge for Liverpool’s players and doing so without many international players who will be playing age-group football for their nations this week will also make the task unenviable.

Krisztian Adorjan, who has been one of their few bright sparks this season, will miss the game through a knee injury and he admitted this campaign has been much more difficult for the team:

‘’It has been more difficult for us this season. Last season we had a team that was really familiar with one another, and I think that showed in our performances. This season we have not had that in the NextGen games, because players have been away with the first team or on internationals.”

Tonight at home they will expect a good crowd and anything short of three points will see them eliminated from the competition. The senior side have executed their share of dramatic turnarounds in the Champions League group stage in the past, now it is time for the under-19’s to do the same.

Here are some Tweets from the lads ahead of their must win fixture…

Resting today, game vs rosenberg in the @nextgenseries at langtree park :)
— Joe Maguire (@MaguireJoe) November 12, 2012

Looking forward too tomorrow nights game at St Helen's against Rosenborg #mustwin
— Jordan Lussey (@jordanlussey) November 12, 2012

Game tomorrow against Rosenburg, at St Helens Stadium. Need the 3 points!
— Lloyd Jones (@lloydjones95) November 12, 2012

With @krispeterson7 watching a film. Lookin forward to the next gen game tomorrow at St. Helens against Rosenborg.
— DanielTrickett-Smith (@TrickettSmith) November 12, 2012

Match tomorrow night vs Rosenborgin st Helen stadium nextgen xD twitter.com/yalany50/statu…
— baio (@yalany50) November 12, 2012

Mathew Nash

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I’m Mathew Nash a 23 year old graduate in Sports Studies and I have an insatiable love for sport. With a particularly keen interest for the madcap world of football I have always been known amongst friends as a beacon for bizarre sporting trivia and knowledge. My other passion is for writing and hopefully combining the two will create a superb and entertaining marriage that will create, divide and share opinion.