Sadio Mane could find himself against a familiar foe as he looks to revive his Liverpool form in Friday night’s FA Cup third-round clash away to top-flight opposition Aston Villa.
Mane has scored six goals and provided two assists in his last five games against Villa for Liverpool and Southampton.
He still holds the record for the fastest-ever Premier League hat-trick, which came in two minutes, 56 seconds for Southampton against Villa in May 2015.
Klopp’s FA Cup luck
Since Jurgen Klopp took over, the Reds have now faced Premier League opposition in 64 percent of all FA Cup ties (including this fixture).
This will be the fourth season in a row, and the first time in history, they have met top-flight opponents at this stage of the competition.
The Reds have never progressed beyond the fifth round under Klopp.
Each of Liverpool’s four FA Cup wins under Klopp have come by a single-goal margin.
Third time for Ox?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has twice been part of a team that beat Villa in the FA Cup, both for Arsenal – in 2012 (fourth round) and again in 2015 (the final at Wembley).
Penalty history
Liverpool have been successful in 16 of 23 penalty shootouts in all competitions and have won three out of three in the FA Cup – the last being the 2006 final against West Ham.
They have, however, lost four of the last six and each of last two. Their last two shootouts have all come against the same team, Arsenal.
One of the successful shootouts came at Villa Park, against Portsmouth in a 1992 FA Cup semi-final.
Caoimhin Kelleher was in goal when Liverpool last won a shootout (against Arsenal in the League Cup in 2019).
Another for Milner?
James Milner has scored in each of his two Liverpool starts against Villa, including his first goal for the club in 2015.
The Reds’ vice-captain played 126 times for Villa in league and cup (2005-06 and 2008-10). He scored 22 goals.
Villa Park
Liverpool’s last four meetings at Villa Park in all competitions have produced 23 goals, with the Reds conceding 12 in the last two visits – the 5-0 League Cup defeat last season being with a largely academy squad.
Since putting seven past Liverpool in October, Villa have won one of five games at home, with three defeats.
Overall this season, they have lost four of their eight games at Villa Park – three in the league to Leeds, Southampton and Brighton, and to Stoke in the League Cup.
Tonight’s referee
Craig Pawson was the referee when Villa went out of the FA Cup at this stage last season at Fulham.
He was the referee in games when Liverpool were defeated in the FA Cup in both 2017 and 2018.
This season’s scorers
Aston Villa: Watkins 8, El Ghazi 6, Grealish 6, Traore 4, Barkley 2, Konsa 2, Mings 2, Davis 1, Hause 1, Hourihane 1, McGinn 1, own goals 1
Liverpool: Salah 16, Jota 9, Mane 7, Firmino 5, Minamino 4, Jones 3, own goals 3, Grujic 1, Henderson 1, Matip 1, Origi 1, Robertson 1, Shaqiri 1, Van Dijk 1, Wijnaldum 1
* Statistics courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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