Liverpool host Everton in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, with Jurgen Klopp particularly eager to avoid a replay later this month.
The second Merseyside derby of the season arrives this weekend, with Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues making the trip across Stanley Park for the FA Cup.
A draw in this fixture could see a replay played between the clashes with Tottenham (Jan 11) and Man United (Jan 19), as the fourth round is scheduled for the weekend of January 25/26.
Klopp is already drawing from a threadbare squad for Sunday, with Naby Keita now joining Fabinho, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Xherdan Shaqiri on the injury list, and he is expected to make wholesale changes.
But in his pre-match press conference he described the replay plans as “incredible,” venting his frustration at the FA.
“Most of them will not be available for tomorrow night, but from today on we have eight days and we will see what is then possible,” he said of his absentees.
“After that we have either another six or seven, or only three, because there is the threat of a potential replay—which is incredible, absolutely incredible.
“Whatever the FA has to say about that, that’s incredible, that you put [the replay] in [there].
“A journalist told me yesterday, ‘oh, the end of the festive period, what do you make of it?’…which festive period is over?
“We play in three days, four days later, five days later again—what is over, really?
“Whatever happens tomorrow, you can win or draw, unfortunately, and lose.
“People told me a couple of times I wouldn’t respect the competition. It’s not true, but everybody is allowed to have their own opinion.
“My first job is to respect the players, my absolute No. 1 job.
“I see them every day and I have to make a decision whether it’s allowed to bring them in again or not. That’s it.
“It looks like the federation around tries to make it more tricky, so now it’s really hard.”
One of the most likely changes comes with a start for Rhian Brewster, with Klopp confirming he will be in the squad—along with Takumi Minamino, who should make his debut.
The manager is also likely to allow Alisson an afternoon’s rest, with one of Adrian or Caoimhin Kelleher to start.
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