Liverpool 2-0 Accrington Stanley
60: SUBSTITUTIONS! Elliott comes off briefly but appears fine to continue, as Liverpool make a few changes.
McConnell replaces Morton, and Alexander-Arnold receives a standing ovation as Bradley takes over at right-back.
Liverpool 2-0 Accrington Stanley
58: YELLOW CARD! Henderson tackles Elliott forcefully, causing significant pain to the Accrington player. Henderson is booked.
There’s concern for Elliott, as it would be unfortunate if he sustained a serious injury, especially given this rare start.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Accrington Stanley (Jota, 29)
LIVERPOOL STRIKES ON THE COUNTER!
Woods’ free-kick for Accrington is poor, and they fail to capitalize when the ball is cleared back to them.
Khumbeni’s pass is intercepted by Szoboszlai, who quickly sends Alexander-Arnold on a counterattack.
Nunez makes a smart run, and Alexander-Arnold finds him. Nunez squares the ball to Jota, who taps it into the empty net.
Clinical from Liverpool, who exploited the League Two side on the counter. How many times have we seen Arne Slot’s team do this this season?
Arne Slot’s side will need to recover after their first defeat in 24 matches.
Darwin Núñez leads the line for Liverpool against Accrington Stanley. / IMAGO/Propaganda Photo
Just three days after their disappointing loss to Spurs, Liverpool face Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur handed Liverpool their second loss under Arne Slot in the Carabao Cup semifinals, but there’s no time to dwell on that. The Reds have a major Premier League match against Nottingham Forest ahead and must also take care of business in the FA Cup’s third round.
Their opponents, Accrington Stanley, are currently 19th in EFL League Two, giving Slot the perfect opportunity to rotate his starting lineup. With Mohamed Salah, Ryan Gravenberch, and Virgil van Dijk all getting a rest, bench players and even some teenagers will have a chance to make an impact.
Manager Slot confirmed that Jarell Quansah is available after being substituted due to illness in the first half against Spurs. Dominik Szoboszlai is also fit after returning to training. Tyler Morton is the only remaining doubt after rolling his ankle midweek, and Joe Gomez is still sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Here’s a potential lineup for Liverpool against Accrington Stanley on January 11.
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Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Accrington Stanley (4-2-3-1)
GK: Caoimhin Kelleher—Expected to make his second start since Alisson’s return from injury.
RB: Conor Bradley—Bradley will aim for a better performance than his display against Spurs.
CB: Jarell Quansah—Provided he’s fully recovered from illness, Quansah should partner Endo in central defense. If unavailable, Ibrahima Konaté or even 18-year-old Amara Nallo could feature.
CB: Endo—With limited options at center-back, Endo could be called upon again after playing for 70 minutes against Tottenham.
LB: Andy Robertson—After missing out in the Carabao Cup, Robertson is the natural choice for this match.
DM: Tyler Morton—If his ankle injury doesn’t keep him out, Morton will have another chance to impress after two solid Carabao Cup performances.
DM: Trey Nyoni—The 17-year-old will make just his fourth senior appearance for Liverpool.
RW: Federico Chiesa—Chiesa has struggled at Liverpool but will have a rare opportunity to score his first goal for the club.
AM: Harvey Elliott—Elliott, who scored the winning goal in his last start, should exploit Accrington’s weak defense.
LW: Luis Díaz—After a 30-minute appearance against Spurs, Díaz could bring his experience and pace to strengthen Liverpool’s attack.
ST: Darwin Núñez—With a Premier League suspension looming, Núñez will lead the attack in the FA Cup.
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