LIVERPOOL’S famed academy has produced its fair share of hungry young footballers from the mean streets of Merseyside.

From Jimmy Case and David Fairclough through Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Steve McManaman, there has almost always been a bit of local flavour driving the Reds on.

But tonight it will be the turn of Wanderers' youth set-up to get star billing – and some would argue, it’s about time.

The cameras will be fixed on the Macron to see if Neil Lennon’s side can go one better than they did at Anfield and knock the seven-time winners out of the competition.

And providing the spark will be two young lads who have been wearing Wanderers colours since they were small enough to sneak under the turnstiles.

Striker Zach Clough has exploded on to the scene with three goals in his first two Bolton starts, including a double against Wolves at the weekend.

Meanwhile, midfielder Josh Vela, marginally more experienced in the first team but just as schooled in the traditions of Wanderers, will be going head to head with Steven Gerrard in the middle of the park.

Like Andy Kellett, whose move to Manchester United on Monday night just about broke the internet, both Clough and Vela came through a system derided under previous manager Dougie Freedman, constantly challenged to improve under his predecessor Owen Coyle and completely ignored by the man before him, Gary Megson.

The arrival of Neil Lennon in October signalled a complete sea change. Now two local lads are providing just the kind of grit the Northern Irishman is looking for.

But the former Celtic boss believes rough and ready examples such as Clough and Vela are few and far between.

“Socially we are more affluent as a society than we were 15-20 years ago,” he told The Bolton News.

“I think the facilities are better now for kids. Everyone keeps on going we need more facilities but compared to what we had when I was growing up they are infinitely better.

“The street kids are the ones who fall over, cut their knee, wipe it off and get on with it, whereas sometimes you see stretchers coming on and physios coming on.

“I wouldn’t say the hunger element is missing but it’s lacking in more ways certainly than when I was growing up or when Wayne (Rooney) was growing up.”

Clough has no airs or graces, a diligent young man he makes his way in from the family home in Denton each day and is not the atypical 19-year-old footballer.

“Temperamentally he is very good,” Lennon said. “He is very level-headed. He just wants to play football. He is one of the kids from the street.

“He’s not a ragamuffin in that respect. He’s polite and he’s well mannered but he’s a hungry boy and he just loves playing his football so he’s low maintenance in that respect.”

Lennon admits he has been surprised by how readily Clough has taken to first-team football but believes his work on improving his body strength is starting to pay dividends.

His attitude in training has even drawn comparisons with Emile Heskey – who made his Premier League debut as a 17-year-old for Leicester City on the day Clough was born.

“Emile was a very quiet boy and very humble so there are similarities there,” Lennon said. “They are two very different types of players, as you can imagine, and it would be interesting to see them play.

“He was born on the day Emile made his Premier League debut. There’s a huge coincidence there so it shows you how long Emile has been going.

“There are certain similarities at how they approach games at that age.”

Vela – tougher-built, fashioned from Salford brick and mortar – has perhaps been Wanderers’ most consistent player since breaking into the team in October.

Wanderers turned down £1million from Liverpool when he was just 16 years old but after a rough ride with injury, including a broken leg, Lennon is now delighted at the progress he is making.

“He has been absolutely outstanding since I came in the door,” Lennon added. “I like his temperament.

“He reminds me a lot of Gerrard, in the way he handles himself on the pitch. That slim, athletic build, he handles the ball well and gets round the pitch, he's composed, can play a variety of positions.

“I'm not saying he's going to have the career that Steven Gerrard has had, but the way he carries himself on the pitch reminds me of him. Now don't make up a headline of me saying we've got the next Gerrard!”