Premier League leaders Liverpool host League Two side Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, and we’ve got the latest team news and predicted lineups, as well as a prediction alongside our preview.
Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley FA Cup Preview
Premier League table-toppers Liverpool welcome League Two outfit Accrington Stanley to Anfield in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon, where the Reds will be looking to bounce back after suffering defeat last time out.
Arne Slot’s side fell to their first defeat across all competitions since mid-September on Wednesday evening, as they were beaten 1-0 away at Tottenham in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie, ending a 24-game unbeaten run.
Prior to their defeat in midweek, Liverpool had won four of their last five matches, including a 6-3 league victory over Spurs, as well as wins over West Ham, Leicester City and Southampton.
The Reds are eight-time winners of the iconic FA Cup, most recently winning the competition in 2021/22, and they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage last term, falling to a 4-3 defeat to Manchester United in extra-time.
🔜 @LFC!
Let us know your @EmiratesFACup memories?
Tickets for Saturday’s third round tie are sold out.
— Accrington Stanley (@ASFCofficial) January 7, 2025
Accrington Stanley, meanwhile, have never won football’s oldest competition, and by producing an unlikely upset against Liverpool to advance to the fourth round, they’d match their best-ever FA Cup finish.
Last season, Stanley exited the cup at the first hurdle, falling to a 2-1 extra time defeat against Doncaster Rovers in a first round replay after drawing their initial meeting 2-2.
To reach this stage of the competition this time aroud though, John Doolan’s side beat National League North side Rushall Olympic 2-0 in the first round, before securing a penalty shootout victory over Swindon in the second round.
The Lancashire-based side are currently in 19th place in the fourth tier table, five points clear of Morecambe in the relegation zone, and they come into this one off the back of two successive wins over Grimsby and Colchester.
Liverpool Team News
Joe Gomez (thigh) is expected to be out until early February and will therefore miss Accrington Stanley’s visit, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Jarell Quansah are doubtful through illness.
Slot is expected to make numerous changes to the Liverpool lineup, with youngsters Trey Nyoni, Tyler Morton, Amara Nallo, Jayden Danns, James Norris, James McConnell and Rio Ngumoha all potentially involved.
Rotations should also grant minutes for the likes of Federico Chiesa, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo, while Irish stopper Caoimhin Kelleher should get the nod in place of Alisson between the sticks.
Accrington Stanley Team News
As for the visitors, Burnley loanee Dara Costelloe is ruled out after suffering a knee injury against Salford last month.
In more positive news, they have recently welcomed back previously injured duo Kelsey Mooney and Jake Batty, so the pair should have a role to play at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley Predicted Lineups
Liverpool Predicted Lineup:
Kelleher; Bradley, Nallo, Endo, Tsimikas; Nyoni, Morton, Elliott; Chiesa, Danns, Nunez
Accrington Stanley Predicted Lineup:
Crellin; Love, Aljofree, Rawson, Awe, B. Woods; Martin, Khumbeni; Hunter; Whalley, Walton
Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley FA Cup Third Round Prediction
Unsurprisingly, we are expecting Liverpool to advance to the fourth round with a comfortable win over Accrington Stanley, with the UK’s best football betting sites pricing the Reds as massive 1/20 favourites pre-match.
Even with a heavily rotated side, the gulf in quality between the two squads is clear to see, and Slot’s side should have no problem in finding the back of the net against a side that has kept just one clean sheet in their last nine matches.
Prediction: Liverpool 4-0 Accrington Stanley
