When Nottingham Forest's players line up against Liverpool on Sunday evening, two of the men charged with stopping one of Europe's best teams scoring will have been with the club since they were boys.
Injuries to Steve Cook and Scott McKenna could see Ryan Yates drop back into a three man defence alongside Joe Worrall and Tobias Figuerido.
Across the pitch, Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane could be looking back. If Salah isn't fit then Luis Diaz, Roberto Firmino or Divock Origi could come in.
It is a far cry from their academy days when both wondered if they would ever make the grade at the City Ground.
Back then, Yates was known as Giggsy, according to former academy director Nick Marshall, although he jokes it was because of his first name and not his playing style.
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Nonetheless, Yates has evolved and is in the form of his life having just signed a new contract at Forest.
With eight goals to his name this season, Marshall, who left his role at Forest when Yates was in the Under-15s, sees a potential Premier League midfielder when he plays in his favoured position.
"I was down at the Forest training ground a few months ago with some of our younger groups and it was good to catch up with him," the current Liverpool assistant academy director said on the latest Garibaldi Red podcast.
"What a terrific boy. There was never any doubt he would fulfil his potential whatever that might be because of his attitude and the way he wanted to learn.
"There were stories when Roy Keane was there he was pestering him with questions. He was the same in the academy.
"You want kids like that to thrive because they deserve it. I'm made up for him.
"He's got eight goals in a tough league. If that's 10 or 12 come the end of the season, given his athletic qualities, he's good in the air and he'll put his foot in, I could see him playing in the Premier League whether that's for Forest or someone else.
"How high depends on how he progresses at that level. It wouldn't surprise me. There are players with his attributes who have forged careers at the highest level.
"Goal scoring midfield players - clubs want them."
Worrall has long since been linked with a move to the top flight and by his own admission came close to leaving last summer.
Marshall believes it would be a huge wrench for the 25-year-old to leave his boyhood club as he also he praised Worrall's character.
"The assistant manager at Rangers (Michael Beale) rang me (when he was on loan there) and he said he will not stop banging on about Forest. This is at Rangers, a big club," Marshall said.
"He said 'he's doing my head in, all he wants to know is about Forest with the score after games!'. He's got a massive connection to the club so it would take something big for him to leave.
"I also got a call from the England manager (Neil Dewsnip) at the Toulon Tournament when Joe captained England (in 2017). He had coached at Everton.
"He had coached Wayne Rooney but he said he'd never known a kid with a better attitude, a better leader in terms of desire and communication.
"Michael Beale, who is Steven Gerrard's first team coach, he said the same about him.
"Character takes you a long way. You have to have ability but character and mentality tends to be the deciding thing when boys get around youth teams at 17 to the first team at 19 or 20.
"The ones who can cope when things are not going well - it's a tough part of your career we call a black hole when things are tough - they tend to make it."
