Liverpool VS Liverpool Barnsley
| Monday, January 12 |
FA Cup | Anfield
7:45pm GMT/2:45pm EST
It’s finally Liverpool’s turn in the FA Cup, as they host third-tier Barnsley Football Club on Monday night. Arne Slott’s final outing in the storied competition ended with the Reds losing to Plymouth and he was unceremoniously exited in his first season as manager. That game featured both seniors and academy players, which may inform how Slaughter views games this season, as Plymouth’s second-half penalty was the only differentiating factor on the day. The last time Liverpool and Barnsley met was in 2008, when Barnsley also won by one goal. That was a long time ago, but might have helped with some planning going into this program.
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Barnsley has been in the third tier since being relegated from the Championship in 2022, but it is worth noting that Barnsley is the club that has played in the second tier the longest and made the most appearances in the history of English football. The other Reds are currently ranked 17th in the First Division, with a record of 8 wins, 5 draws and 8 losses so far this season. Their December looked as dismal as ours, losing three games on the bounce before salvaging a point in a full-time draw with Wigan Athletic. It seems that any troubles experienced by the Premier League have spread to the lower leagues.
Given the dire situation at Barnsley, this could be a prime example of Liverpool potentially being overconfident and potentially fielding an inexperienced team, but Slott made the very revealing statement, “You’ll see all the players you see on Monday” [at Arsenal on Thursday]” Of course he didn’t add whether everyone would start or be on the bench. To be honest, the team is thin enough already, with only four forwards in the first team likely to feature in Mohamed Salah’s absence, so we might even get the rare Chiesa starter, or a late decision on the fitness of striker Hugo Ekitic.
Predicted Liverpool lineup (4-3-3)
Alisson; Ramsey, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai, Mike Allister; Ngumoha, Chiesa, Gakpo
It goes without saying that the right guard position may be cursed, or it may be a position that Sloter wants to protect more than others. After news broke that Conor Bradley would miss the season with a “significant” knee injury, and both Jeremy Frimpong and Joe Gomez struggled to stay fit, it would be prudent to expect Calvin Ramsey to come on.
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Of course, this is all speculation, and the author’s previous predictions about the lineup are definitely wrong. For all we know, Slott may be planning to field the exact same lineup that played over 90 minutes against Arsenal on Thursday night. Liverpool’s latest version is more conservative and less urgent, so who knows, maybe the reduction in physical demands will provide some stamina for these players who have been playing twice a week for months and give Slott more confidence in his ability to move forward. Look at you, Dominic, I guess you’re not overworking yourself?
Managers have a say
Arne Slaughter: “The FA Cup has always been very important for us but sometimes in a season where you’re still competing for the Carabao Cup, the Champions League and the League One – given the number of players we had last season and this season – you have to make a choice. But I can guarantee you that on Monday you will see all the players you see [on Thursday]maybe there will be some substitutions, but then they will be on the bench. So it will be different to last season’s game against Plymouth. “
Connor Hourihane: “It’s hard to know who will be playing. Will the big boys play, or will they be weaker? Either way, we need to be ready and have a game plan. I want the lads to maximize their opportunities and express themselves.”
officials
referee: Farley Hallam assistant: Alistair Nelson and Hristo Karavanov Fourth Official: Ruben Ricardo
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