Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Luke Baker

Liverpool vs Norwich prediction: How will FA Cup fixture play out tonight?

PA

Liverpool and Norwich will meet in the FA Cup for the first time since 1990 when the Canaries travel to Anfield for the fifth-round clash on Wednesday evening.

A place in the quarter-finals is at stake and it would be the first time the Reds have reached the last-eight of the world’s oldest cup competition since Jurgen Klopp took charge if they can emerge triumphant.

They will have to overcome their relentless fixture schedule if they are to do so, as they haven’t enjoyed a midweek without a game since January, but have still managed to put together a ten-game winning streak in all competitions and keep their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive - with the first part completed on Sunday when they lifted the Carabao Cup after dramatically beating Chelsea 11-10 on penalties in the final.

For Norwich, the FA Cup may provide a welcome distraction from their Premier League woes, where they are rooted to the foot of the table after a lifeless 2-0 defeat to Southampton last Friday.

An unconvincing 1-0 win over League One Charlton Athletic and a much-more impressive 1-0 triumph over high-flying Wolves have taken Dean Smith’s troops into the FA Cup fifth round but they will need to find a way past a Liverpool side who have already beaten them three times this season - twice in the league and once in the Carabao Cup - to keep that run going.

Here’s everything you need to know about the FA Cup game at Anfield.

When is it?

The match will kick-off at 20:15 GMT on Wednesday, 2 March at Anfield, Liverpool.

How can I watch?

The match will be shown live on live on ITV 1 and the ITV Hub, with coverage starting at 19:30 GMT.

What’s the team news?

Thiago Alcantara pulled up with a tight hamstring during the warm-up ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final and Roberto Firmino hadn’t recovered in time from a groin injury to feature, with both Liverpool players set to miss this match as well.

Diogo Jota returned from his ankle injury as a substitute at Wembley, although looked short of fitness, while the fact that the Reds are still fighting on so many fronts makes rotation likely - as Kostas Tsimikas, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, Divock Origi and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could all come into the line-up.

Norwich centre-back Grant Hanley is suspended after being booked in both the third and fourth-round wins, meaning Christoph Zimmermann is likely to deputise, while Dean Smith admitted he will also likely be without Max Aarons, Brandon Williams and Ozan Kabak at the back as all three battle various ailments. Andrew Omobamidele and Adam Idah remain long-term absentees for the Canaries.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Elliott, Milner, Jones; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, Minamino.

Norwich XI: Gunn; Byram, Zimmermann, Gibson, Giannoulis; McLean, Normann, Gilmour; Sargent, Pukki, Rashica.

Odds

Liverpool: 1/6

Draw: 6/1

Norwich: 13/1

Prediction

Truthfully, both sides may have their attentions elsewhere and although Liverpool’s recent FA Cup record is inexplicably poor - making an upset a very real possibility - even a much-changed Reds side may just about have too much for a distracted Norwich bereft of confidence. Liverpool 2-1 Norwich

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.