Liverpool can reach the last-16 of the FA Cup for only the second time under Jurgen Klopp with victory today, and the kickoff time makes for a promising omen.
Liverpool have won each of the last six meetings in all competitions, including the 2012 League Cup Final at Wembley – the Reds winning 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Jordan Henderson remains at Anfield from that day.
It is 92 years since the teams last met in the FA Cup. Only against Millwall (93 years from 1896-1989) have Liverpool had a longer wait to play the same opponent in the competition.
And Liverpool are unbeaten in the last 21 games at Anfield since a home loss to Fulham in March.
The Early Bird Gets the Worm
This match will start at 12 pm, it will be the Reds’ earliest kick-off in a FA Cup tie since they won 2-0 at Leeds in 2001 and went on to lift the trophy.
It will be the earliest ever kick-off time for a game in this competition at Anfield.
Time for 2/7
Victory will see Liverpool reach the last-16 for the second time in seven seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
And the manager has now fielded 79 different players in his 17 FA Cup games in charge of the Reds.
And this is the first time in five years they have been drawn against a team from outside the top-flight in successive rounds of the FA Cup. In 2016/17 they defeated Plymouth after a replay only to lose at home to Wolves in Round four.
Penalty Hits
Only three penalties have been scored in the fixture – all by Liverpool. Tommy Lucas (league) in 1927, Dick Edmed (FA Cup) in 1928 and James Milner in the Premier League in 2019.
Billy Liddell is the only Reds player to miss a penalty against City, doing so in April 1954, while Cardiff’s Jimmy Gill saw his spot-kick saved by Elisha Scott in 1924.
The Reds have won all three of their FA Cup penalty shoot-outs, the last in the 2006 final against West Ham and have won 17 of 24 in all competitions.
A Long Cardiff Wait
City’s last win against Liverpool, which is their biggest at Anfield, came in December 1959 when they won 4-0. It was Bill Shankly‘s first match in charge of Liverpool.
The clean sheet in their win at Barnsley four days ago was their first in 28 games since a win at Blackpool on August 14.
Man with the Whistle
Andrew Madley takes charge of the Reds for only the fifth time in his career – the last being the Carabao Cup win over Leicester in December, which Liverpool won on penalties.
This Season’s Scorers
Liverpool: Salah 23, Jota 14, Mané 10, Firmino 7, Minamino 6, Fabinho 5, Origi 5, Henderson 3, Keita 3, Oxlade-Chamberlain 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Thiago 2, Van Dijk 2, Gordon 1, Jones 1, Robertson 1, own goals 1
Cardiff: Moore 5, Colwill 4, Flint 4, Collins 3, M. Harris 3, McGuinness 3, Morrison 3,
Davies 2, Watkins 2, Bacuna 1, Hugill 1, Ikpeazu 1, Murphy 1, Pack 1, Watters 1, own goals 1
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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