Liverpool Look to Banish Cup Demons as Barnsley Visit Anfield

Arne Slot's debut season at Liverpool has been nothing short of spectacular on the Premier League front, but the Dutch tactician will be keen to put a damper on unhappy FA Cup memories before Barnsley arrive at Anfield on Monday evening.

The Reds' cup credentials took a dent when they surrendered a 4-0 home demolition of Accrington to suffer a 1-0 reversal at Plymouth—a side languishing at the foot of the Championship. Questions linger about whether Slot's rotation policy backfired, squeezed as the fixture was between a Carabao Cup semi-final and the Merseyside derby during a four-front title assault.

Barnsley, sitting 13th in League One, arrive from South Yorkshire without much in the way of current form to recommend them. They've won just once in their last four outings, though it's worth noting their fixture list remains congested compared to rivals, with several games in hand that could lift them into the top 10. Still, recent results have been decidedly patchy.

The Tykes will harbour dreams of repeating a famous feat from 17 years back, when they stunned Rafa Benítez's Liverpool 2-1 in this very competition. That 2008 upset remains their most cherished memory of Anfield visits, though subsequent trips have proved less fruitful.

Team News and Selection

Liverpool's injury woes continue to mount. Conor Bradley's knee damage sustained in Thursday's goalless draw at Arsenal threatens to sideline him for the remainder of the campaign. Jayden Danns, Wataru Endo, and Giovanni Leoni are also unavailable, while Mohamed Salah's Afcon commitments—he's bagged three goals helping Egypt reach the semi-finals—leave a gap in attack. Alexander Isak remains sidelined long-term.

Slot has signalled his intention to field a stronger team than some might expect, with the bench stocked accordingly should intervention be required. Giorgi Mamardashvili will deputise between the sticks for Alisson, while Federico Chiesa and teenager Rio Ngumoha should feature in the front three alongside Jeremie Frimpong. Trey Nyoni and Calvin Ramsay are among the squad players likely to get minutes.

Barnsley have enjoyed a lengthy rest courtesy of frozen pitches keeping them idle since New Year's Day, though Conor Hourihane's preparations are complicated by Luca Connell's suspension following his red card against Wigan. Davis Keillor-Dunn's 14 goals in 30 matches will be their primary attacking weapon, while academy products Adam Phillips and Vimal Yoganathan add intrigue to the visitor's line-up.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Barnsley's historical record at Anfield makes for curious reading. They've won their last two visits here—a Premier League triumph in 1997 and that famous cup upset in 2008. No other side holds a longer winning streak at Anfield, a distinction shared only with Nottingham Forest and Atalanta on two victories each.

Liverpool, conversely, have progressed from 13 of their last 14 FA Cup third-round ties, with only Wolves in 2018-19 managing a 2-1 upset at this stage in recent seasons. They haven't fallen to a non-Premier League opponent since 2009-10, when Reading knocked them out. At home in the cup, they've won eight of their last nine matches since that 3-2 January 2018 defeat to West Brom.

Barnsley's record against top-flight opposition in the cup tells its own story: eliminated in each of their last six attempts since their Chelsea quarter-final scalp in 2007-08.

What to Expect

Liverpool's 10-match unbeaten streak and improved showing at the Emirates—where they dominated a goalless encounter—should provide sufficient confidence for a routine evening's work. Barnsley's defensive vulnerabilities are glaring: 17 away goals conceded across 11 League One road trips, with just three clean sheets from 30 matches this season.

Frimpong's deployment in an advanced right-wing role has caught the eye, with assists against Wolves and a threatening display in the Leeds stalemate suggesting he could prove a handful for the visitors. At 11/4 for over 0.5 assists, the Dutch winger represents intriguing value, with 15/4 available on him scoring anytime against League One opposition at Anfield.

Kick-off Details

The match gets underway at 19:45 GMT on Monday, January 12. TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+ will broadcast live coverage from 7pm, with BBC Radio 5 Live providing full commentary.