Arne Slot will get his first taste of FA Cup magic on Saturday lunchtime when Liverpool host Accrington Stanley in the third round.
After disappointing results against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the new year, the Reds will be keen to produce a confidence-boosting performance against their Lancashire opponents at Anfield.
Liverpool recently won the FA Cup in 2021/22 and the last major massacre they were involved in in this competition came in 2012/13 when they suffered a shock fourth round defeat to then third tier Oldham Athletic. .
A similar fate is unlikely to befall Slot’s side this weekend, with Accrington currently languishing in 19th place in League Two. The teams have only met once before, a duel in FA Cup dating back to 1956.
Here is 90 minutes guide to Liverpool’s FA Cup third round clash with Accrington.
Liverpool vs Accrington H2H Record (All Time)
Current form (all competitions)
Liverpool | Accrington Stanley |
|---|---|
Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool – 01/08/25 | Colchester 0-2 Accrington – 04/01/25 |
Liverpool 2-2 Man Utd – 01/05/25 | Accrington 3-2 Grimsby – 01/01/25 |
West Ham 0-5 Liverpool – 12/29/24 | Carlisle 2-1 Accrington – 29/12/24 |
Liverpool 3-1 Leicester – 12/26/24 | Accrington 0-2 Salford – 21/12/24 |
Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool – 12/22/24 | Fleetwood 1-1 Accrington – 16/12/24 |
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | ITV 1, ITVX, STV, STV player, UTV |
UNITED STATES | ESPN+, ESPN app |
Canada | Sportsnet World Now, Sportsnet Now, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet Now Plus |
Liverpool don’t have many absentees at the moment, but Jarell Quansah was withdrawn after just half an hour in the midweek defeat to Tottenham. However, Slot confirmed he was replaced due to illness rather than injury in north London, meaning he could be available in some capacity this weekend.
The Reds are already missing one centre-back in Joe Gomez, with the versatile defender currently out with a hamstring injury suffered in the 5-0 win over West Ham.
Dominik Szoboszlai doubts he will feature further in what will be a much-changed Liverpool team, with the Hungarian having missed the last three games due to a mixture of suspension and illness.
Lineup predicted by Liverpool against Accrington (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Endo, Robertson; Morton, Nyoni; Chiesa, Elliott, Diaz; Nunez.
Accrington beat Rushall Olympic and Swindon Town en route to the third round and the excitement will be palpable for their trip to Anfield. John Doolan’s side have struggled in League Two but will be aiming for one of their best-ever results on Saturday.
Liverpool won’t be too concerned about Accrington’s visit but may need to keep an eye on Shaun Whalley. The experienced 37-year-old has scored three goals in his last two matches and leads Accrington in goals and assists in League Two.
Accrington predicted line-up against Liverpool (3-4-1-2): Crellin; Aljofree, Rawson, Awe; Love, Coyle, Khumbeni, B. Woods; Whalley; J. Woods, hunter.
Whatever changes Slot makes to his starting XI on Saturday, Liverpool should progress to the fourth round. The Reds are the Premier League’s top scorers, while only Swindon have conceded more than Accrington in League Two.
Liverpool will have the opportunity to rest their first team squads, but this presents a great opportunity for fringe players. Players like Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and youngsters Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni will have the opportunity to impress Slot in what should be a great victory.
