Liverpool vs Shrewsbury Town: Match Preview (FA Cup Fourth Round)
It is not every day that you get to see the European and world Champions in action. One can expect a full house at New Meadow as Liverpool face Shrewsbury Town in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
This will be the second time that both the clubs face each other. They had previously met in the FA Cup in 1996, where the Reds prevailed 4-0.
More of the same is to be expected with a wide chasm separating both the teams at the moment. Liverpool are the champions-elect and look invincible whereas Shrewsbury are 16th in the third tier of English football.
On paper, this should be an easy win for Liverpool. A victory will ensure progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time under Klopp.
A number of changes can be expected after the gruelling win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek.
The match will serve as an opportunity for Klopp to provide a proper outing to the players returning from injury. Joel Matip and Fabinho might be in contention, with the match coming a little too quickly for Dejan Loven and Xherdan Shaqiri. Adam Lallana should also be available after missing the clash against Wolves due to illness.
The Reds must not, however, underestimate Shrewsbury despite being separated by 58 places in the English football pyramid. The League One club have lost just once in their last 17 home ties in the FA Cup.
Team News
Liverpool
Liverpool are still without the injured James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri. Defensive duo Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren are back in training. Adam Lallana is expected to recover from his illness while Nathaniel Clyne remains a long-term absentee.
Takumi Minamino could start from the bench, given his baptism of fire at the Molineux.
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury have no injury concerns. The League One side have bolstered their squad with the signings of Sam Hart on loan from Balckburn Rovers and Josh Vela from Hibernian. Both the players could be in line for their debuts on Sunday.
It will be a special night for Sam Hart, who was part of the Liverpool youth setup from 2013-2016.
Predicted Starting XI
Liverpool
Adrian; Yasser Larouci, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip, Neco Williams; Fabinho, Adam Lallana, Pedro Chirivella; Curtis Jones, Divock Origi, Harvey Elliott.
Shrewsbury Town
Max O’Leary; Ro-Shaun Williams, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Aaron Pierre; Donald Love, Oliver Norburn, Josh Laurent, Scott Golbourne; Shaun Whalley, Callum Lang, David Edwards.
Key Clashes
Joel Matip vs Callum Lang
The 21-year-old will come up against Matip and could trouble the Cameroonian, given the defender’s lack of match practice. The Liverpool man is one of the Premier League’s best defenders and should aim to handle the striker with ease – provided he doesn’t slack off.
More Liverpool News
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- Liverpool are open to selling Xherdan Shaqiri in the summer
- Isaac Christie-Davies ‘s loan at Cercle Brugge cut short by injury
Divock Origi vs Aaron Pierre
Origi has impressed whenever given the chance and here, he has a chance to further stake a claim to a starting spot in Mane’s absence.
He will come up against the impressive Pierre, who has been one of Shrewsbury’s best players since joining from Northampton Town. It was Pierre’s 89th-minute goal that won his side their Third Round tie against Bristol City.
Origi’s strength and pace might be too much for Pierre to handle and the Belgian should take advantage of his superior skills to seize the upper hand.
