SAINTS travel to Merseyside tonight aiming to reach the last 16 of the FA Youth Cup.

Anthony Limbrick’s youngsters run out at Goodison Park to face an Everton side who last season won the under-18 Premier League.

Saints could find themselves up against two players who have tasted Europa League action this term for the Toffees.

Midfielder Ryan Ledson, 17, started Everton’s final Europa League group tie against Russian club FC Krasnodar last month.

Kieran Dowell came on in that tie as an early sub for Christian Atsu.

Ledson has experienced success with the national side, captaining the England team that triumphed in last summer’s European Under-17 Championships in Malta.

Jonjoe Kenny was on the bench against Krasnodar and he was also a member of the squad that won the Euros, scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Holland in the final.

Saints striker Josh Sims was also in that squad, but was an unused sub in the final.

Speaking after Saints’ 2-1 win over West Ham in the third round of the Youth Cup last month, Sims is hoping for an extended cup run.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve done well in the tournament which is a shame because some of the squads we’ve had in previous years have been among the best in the country,” he declared.

“It’s time to show what we can do and that we can go a long way.”

Saints have only reached the Youth Cup final once, when a side containing Theo Walcott, David McGoldrick, Adam Lallana, Nathan Dyer, Martin Cranie and Leon Best lost 3-2 on aggregate to Ipswich in 2005.

Saints reached the semi- finals 12 months later, losing on penalties to Liverpool.

The two clubs are having contrasting seasons in the under 18s Premier League.

Everton are second in the northern section, four points behind leaders Middlesbrough, while Saints are fifth bottom of the south section. Last season, Saints fell at the fourth round stage, losing 3-1 at home to Charlton.

They had previously hammered Portsmouth 7-0 at St Mary’s with Sam Gallagher hitting a hat-trick.

Two seasons ago, in 2012/13, Saints were beaten 2-0 at St Mary’s by tonight’s opponents.

Everton defeated the Saints 2-0 before losing to eventual winners Norwich City.

The Toffees last reached the final in 2001/02 where Wayne Rooney was unable to prevent Aston Villa winning 4-2 on aggregate.