Everton v Liverpool U21s: Five players to watch

Everton face Merseyside rivals Liverpool live on Sky Sports in the U21 Premier League on Wednesday night.

The two sides will be looking to kick-start their seasons having lost their opening games against Tottenham and Chelsea respectively.

Here, we take a look at five young stars who could catch the eye…

Harry Wilson - Liverpool

Wilson became Wales' youngest ever player when he turned out against Belgium at the age of 16 in October 2013. He is yet to make his first team debut for Liverpool, but he is rated as one of their top prospects. The pacey, skilful winger was shortlisted for the U21 Premier League Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in 18 appearances last season. His best moment was a stunning long-range winner against Everton in March, and he will be hoping to repeat the feat on Wednesday.

Matthew Pennington - Everton

Highly-rated defender Pennington signed a new three-year contract at Everton in the summer having impressed on loan at Coventry last season. The 20-year-old made 25 League One appearances for the Sky Blues, winning their Young Player of the Year award before returning to his parent club. Pennington is equally comfortable at centre-back and right-back, and he'll be hoping to catch Roberto Martinez's eye in the U21s. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to fulfil my ambition of playing in the first team," he said last month.

Jerome Sinclair - Liverpool

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West Brom academy graduate Sinclair moved to Liverpool in 2011 and became their youngest ever player when he appeared as a substitute in a League Cup game against his boyhood club at the age 16 years and six days. The England youth striker has been unlucky with injuries in the past, but he impressed for Liverpool U21s last season and had a brief spell on loan at Wigan before Brendan Rodgers handed him Premier League substitute appearances against Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the final weeks of the season. The quick, powerful frontman is an exciting prospect, but a reported contract wrangle with Liverpool has cast doubt on his long-term future.

Jack Dunn - Liverpool

Dunn is another promising English talent in the Liverpool youth ranks. He can play up front, out wide or as an attacking midfielder, and last season he had an encouraging spell on loan at League Two side Cheltenham Town, where he scored three goals in five appearances before another brief stint at Burton Albion. He is two years older than Wilson and Sinclair at 20, but he will be hoping to impress for the U21s and work his way into the first team picture at Anfield.

Conor Grant - Everton

Grant is a classy left-footed midfielder who joined Everton at the age of 13. He was an unused substitute for a Europa League clash against Krasnodar in December, and he spent the second half of last season on loan at Motherwell. Grant announced his arrival in Scotland by scoring a stunning free kick from 25 yards out on his debut against Ross County, and signed a new one-year contract at Everton in July. Grant was involved in pre-season preparations with the first team this summer, and he'll be hoping to make the most of his opportunities with the U21s.

Live Premier League U21s Football

Watch Everton v Liverpool U21s live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 6.45pm on Wednesday