CITY'S all-conquering boy Blues begin the defence of the FA Youth Cup tonight when they head to Swansea for a third round clash.

Having travelled to Reading, Bristol, Plymouth, Sunderland and Chelsea last season, the youngsters are no strangers to hitting the road and could hardly be in better shape to launch their defence.

The Under-18s are unbeaten in 13 league games this season - the only side in England that can boast that record.

City sit comfortably atop Group C in the FA Academy League with 11 wins and three draws - five points clear of the chasing United and Liverpool.

And when it comes to scoring goals the kids make the prolific first team look like Scrooge in a bad mood.

The Blues average a fraction less than four goals per game so far this season and, worryingly for Swansea, have managed their best tallies in away fixtures, hitting six against Barnsley, eight at Blackburn and a spectacular nine in the north-east at Middlesbrough.

Strikers Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni and Robbie Mak have been lapping up the chances banging in 12 and nine goals respectively so far.

Double

The side has had a couple of weeks off league action to prepare for their trophy defence and there are half a dozen or more of last season's squad still eligible and looking to achieve the double.

Skipper Kieran Trippier, Andrew Tutte, Dedryck Boyata, Mak, Nimely-Tchuimeni, and Abdisalam Ibrahim all remain important parts of a side that has impressed Academy chief Jim Cassell with the way it has started the campaign

"It is invidious to compare this side to last's year's cup winners especially as it would only add to the pressure for the lads," he declared. "All I will say is that we have been pleased with what they have done so far and expect players from this year's crop to go on and make their mark in the game.

"Obviously we would have liked a home tie but there is plenty of experience in the side from 12 months ago and that will not be an excuse.

"We are expecting a tough game at Swansea. There is a great passion for the game in that part of the country and I am sure they will have a number of internationals in their line-up.

"It is probably fair to say that our squad is not perhaps as well balanced as last year's in terms of the way it could be set up but they are all willing learners and hard workers and we have been delighted with the way they have started the season."

Triumph

Whilst respecting all the opposition standing in the way of a repeat Youth Cup triumph Cassell fears burn-out as much as any other opposition club and has expressed his concern that carefully monitored progress at club level is being undermined by national teams.

"You have to ask whether youth football is disrupting the development of our young players," he said. "It is remarkable how many demands are made on our young players to represent their countries.

"Clearly, it is a great honour to win international recognition at any level but unfortunately the international game programme has increased to such a level that many of our young players are being called up too often for what on many occasions can be a poor quality game.

"Some players have been requested three times in a 10-week period in different age groups.

"Surely this method of operation has to be looked at and the welfare of players taken into account as part of their football development."

CITY (from): Clegg, Trippier, Boyata, Wabara, Cunningham, Benali, Tutte, Ibrahim, Chantler, Nimely-Tchuimeni, Mak, E. Johansen, Guidetti, Redshaw, Smith, Tse, Paldan, Elabdellaoui.

Log on this evening for Chris Bailey's report from the game.