The Daily Star Ireland
Liverpool, under the guidance of Arne Slot, are enjoying a remarkable season and appear to be on course to claim the Premier League title. The Reds currently sit atop the league table with a game in hand and hold a six-point lead over their nearest rivals. They have lost just once in the league this season, a surprising defeat to Nottingham Forest in mid-September.
Following three consecutive victories against Tottenham (6-3), Leicester (3-1), and West Ham (5-0), Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Manchester United last weekend. They also remain dominant in the Champions League, leading their group during the league phase. On Wednesday, Liverpool traveled to face Tottenham in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
Accrington, relegated from League One in 2023, has endured another challenging season and currently sits 19th in League Two, just five points clear of the relegation zone. After a seven-game winless streak consisting of three draws and four defeats, they managed back-to-back wins against Grimsby (3-2) and Colchester (2-0) last weekend. In the FA Cup, Accrington progressed through earlier rounds with a 2-0 win over Rushall and a penalty shootout victory following a 2-2 draw against Swindon.
Liverpool will be without injured backup defender Joe Gomez, while midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is a doubt due to illness. Manager Arne Slot is expected to rotate his squad for this FA Cup tie, potentially resting key players such as Mohamed Salah, who has been in outstanding form with 18 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League. Italian international Federico Chiesa, who has been limited to just four appearances due to injuries, might get his chance to start after remaining on the bench in the recent Manchester United clash.
Accrington will miss defender Rich-Baghuelou and midfielder Quirk, both sidelined with injuries. Irish forward Costelloe, who has scored five goals in League Two, remains doubtful for this high-profile fixture. Veteran striker Shaun Whalley, a pivotal figure for Accrington with six goals and four assists this season, will be central to their hopes of causing an upset.
Prediction
Liverpool has consistently delivered high-scoring matches in the FA Cup, with their last 19 home games in the competition featuring over 2.5 goals. Similarly, Accrington’s recent fixtures have rarely ended without goals, making a goalless draw unlikely.
Prediction: Liverpool 4-1 Accrington.
