Not only are Liverpool and Manchester City slugging it out for the Premier League title, but their kids are poised to compete for FA Youth Cup glory as well.
The two youth teams go head-to-head for the prestigious under-18 trophy in the first-ever one-legged final at City's Academy Stadium on Thursday evening.
There will be a new name on the trophy this year because Chelsea, who have lifted the trophy in each of the past five seasons, were eliminated by Manchester United back in the third round.
Manchester City's players celebrate Ben Knight's goal in their FA Youth Cup semi-final win
Liverpool celebrate as Paul Glatzel's goal helped them beat Watford in their semi-final match
Chelsea have won the Youth Cup for the past five years but a new name will be on the trophy
Thursday night's Youth Cup final will be at Man City's 7,000-capacity Academy Stadium
FA YOUTH CUP FINAL
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Thursday 7.45pm; Academy Stadium
Live on BT Sport 1 and 4K UHD
Liverpool are pushing for the Under-18 Premier League title in the Northern Section and probably start the final as marginal favourites despite City having home advantage.
The Reds have won the trophy three times in their history - the last time coming in 2007 - while City have won it twice but not since 2008.
Ahead of Thursday's final, which will be televised live on BT Sport 1, we profile the players hoping to make a name for themselves.
MANCHESTER CITYLouie Moulden - the Bolton-born goalkeeper has been between the sticks for City all the way through this season's FA Youth Cup run. Set to play against his former club as Moulden was in Liverpool's academy earlier in his career. Is the son of the 1980s City player Paul Moulden.
Alpha Dionkou - all-action right-back who was born in Senegal but represents Spain at under-17 level. City saw off strong competition from Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid to sign Dionkou from Real Mallorca at the age of 15 back in 2017.
Eric Garcia - the team's captain and a commanding centre-half. Garcia was coaxed away from Barcelona's academy to join City in the summer of 2017 which is astonishing considering Nou Camp legend Carles Puyol is his agent. Pep Guardiola clearly realises Garcia's potential as he was handed a full debut in the EFL Cup quarter-final against Leicester and then played in both legs of the semi-final with Burton Albion.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in conversation with Eric Garcia against Burton
Third round Clevedon Town (A) 4-0
Fourth round Nottm Forest (H) 4-1
Fifth round Derby County (A) 2-1
Sixth round Bournemouth (A) 4-1
Semi-final West Bromwich (H) 4-2
Taylor Harwood-Bellis - centre-half with a knack for scoring goals as he proved by netting against Clevedon, Nottingham Forest and Derby in City's first three matches in this season's Youth Cup. An England under-17 international, Harwood-Bellis is likely to be selected for next month's European Championship at that age group in the Republic of Ireland.
Jeremie Frimpong - capable of playing at left-back or right-back, Dutch-born Frimpong burst into the youth side last year and has stayed ever since. Has played in all five games en route to the final, scoring in the 2-1 win at Derby. Fulfils both his defensive and attacking duties ably and you can expect him to push forward on the overlap.
Rowan McDonald - combative defensive midfielder from Oldham who can also slot in at the back. Has played four different position during City's run to the final. Describes himself as a huge Oasis fan who would choose 'Wonderwall' as his initiation song and would invite the Gallagher brothers to dinner along with Guardiola, Sergio Aguero and Andres Iniesta.
Tommy Doyle - the grandson of two City legends: Mike Doyle, who made 570 appearances and scored 41 goals for the club between 1964 and 1978, and Glyn Pardoe, who made over 375 appearances for City between 1962 and 1976. So it was only natural he started watching City play aged five and joined their academy around the same time. Doyle has fought his way back to fitness and form after breaking his metatarsal while playing for England during last summer's Under-17 European Championship. An impressive season has included two goals in City's Youth Cup run.
City youngster Tommy Doyle is the grandson of club legends Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru - most at home in central midfield but has been known to slot in at right-back. Fisayo is the younger brother of fellow City academy player Tom, who also plays in midfield. He joined the academy ranks at the age of eight and scored in the quarter-final win at Bournemouth.
Ben Knight - nephew of former England cricketer Nick Knight. Can play in a number of midfield and attacking position but prefers to adopt the No 10 role in the same vein as David Silva. A relative newcomer to the City set-up after they paid Ipswich £700,000 to sign him last summer, stealing in ahead of Tottenham despite Mauricio Pochettino making a personal intervention. Has enjoyed a good maiden Youth Cup campaign for the club, scoring three times.
Adrian Bernabe - another talent City have managed to poach from Barcelona's La Masia academy. The 17-year-old playmaker made the move last year and actually spent pre-season training with Guardiola's first team squad, playing in the tour match against Bayern Munich. Brought on as a late substitute in City's EFL Cup game at Oxford for his senior debut.
Adrian Bernabe, signed from Barcelona last year, in action for City's under-23 team
2009 Arsenal
2010 Chelsea
2011 Manchester United
2012 Chelsea
2013 Norwich City
2014 Chelsea
2015 Chelsea
2016 Chelsea
2017 Chelsea
2018 Chelsea
D'Margio Wright-Phillips - if that name seems familiar then, yes, D'Margio is the son of Shaun Wright-Phillips and the grandson of Arsenal legend Ian Wright. He clearly inherited the family speed genes as he was the Manchester schools track cycling champion at school and unsurprisingly plays as a winger. The England youth international has trained with City's
