Liverpool wary of Accrington’s ‘Champions League final’ in FA Cup

When the teams meet in the third round of the FA Cup at Anfield on Saturday, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is prepared for a revved-up Accrington Stanley.

In the Reds’ previous game, when they lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal, Slot only suffered his second defeat as manager.

FA Cup opponents Stanley sit 19th in English football’s fourth tier, while Slot’s Liverpool are top of the Premier League and Champions League standings.

“Every team’s game against us is special for every team, but especially a lower league team,” so they will be ready for it. They have lived this game for weeks probably… so we need to bring the best out of ourselves”, Slot told reporters on Friday.

Everyone is hyped up for the Champions League final, and it will feel like it, and we need to be aware of that.

The first half-hour is the most challenging, they will be very intense, and we must be prepared for them to play the best games of their lives. That is what we must also do.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s return to training after he recovered from illness has boosted Liverpool. The 24-year-old Hungary captain had missed both the Tottenham defeat and their 2-2 home draw against rivals Manchester United.

Centreback Jarell Quansah, 21, is also available for selection.

Every game is a chance for them to play, and Slot said that’s the same for this one.

” Dom trained with the under-21s yesterday. Jarell, like I said, he was a bit ill last week, as a result of that I had to take him off the game (against Tottenham) but I am expecting him to be available for tomorrow. “

Slot continued his defence of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was criticised by pundits for his performance against United.

The England right back, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, put on a much-improved display against Tottenham on Wednesday on the bench.

Trent has played one difficult game for us and a few good ones, perhaps. He has generally had fantastic games this season, the Dutchman claimed.

I’m aware that there is a lot of attention on him right now, but I want to point out how much I enjoyed watching him in the final twenty-five minutes of Tottenham and how our fans responded to him.

Who’s lifting this at the end of the season? ????#EmiratesFACup pic. twitter.com/5XRitRVyBX

Stanley, who are based in Lancashire, are perhaps best known among English football fans for a Milk Marketing Board television commercial in the 1980s which gently mocked the team’s obscurity.

When asked what he knew about the relationship between Liverpool and Stanley, Slot responded, “I do know about the milk advertisement.

A player said, “Immediately following the game (was drawn), there was a video of a player who was so excited to play at Anfield. I am aware of these things.