Liverpool Will Field Strong Team Against Barnsley, Says Slot
Liverpool coach Arne Slot has revealed that he will play a strong team against League One side Barnsley in the FA Cup third-round clash on Monday at Anfield.
The Reds are bidding to avoid another embarrassing defeat after they crashed out of the competition following last season’s shock exit to Plymouth Argyle.
Plymouth were bottom of the second-tier Championship when they knocked out the then-Premier League leaders in the fourth round with a stunning 1-0 win.
The Dutch manager emphasised the FA Cup’s importance now that Liverpool are no longer competing in the League Cup, having been eliminated earlier this season.
Slot said: “I can guarantee you that on Monday you will see all the players that you saw (on Thursday against Arsenal), maybe with some substitutions but then they will be on the bench. So that is going to be different than last season against Plymouth.
“Last season I made the decision that some players needed to rest in the FA Cup because you cannot play every player every single time. But it’s obvious that we’re not in the League Cup anymore. The FA Cup has always been very important for us.”
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Liverpool were also dealt a blow after right back Conor Bradley was potentially ruled out for the season after his knee injury at Arsenal, with the Northern Irishman set to undergo surgery.
Slot also said striker Hugo Ekitike is “not 100 per cent” but that the club would “do everything to have him available” for Monday’s game.
The Dutch boss said Federico Chiesa remains an option but his participation would depend on Ekitike’s availability.
Slot said: “I spoke to him (Chiesa) two days ago and he said to me that he played more in the recent weeks than he ever did before under me.
“But he is one of the players that could feature in that game, definitely. But Hugo might be back, so let’s see how we will start that game. He is one of the options that I have.”
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In October, Liverpool were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace in the after Slot named three teenagers in his starting XI, and a further five among his substitutes, with no-one older than 21 on the bench. They lost 3-0 at Anfield.
