Liverpool wary of Accrington’s ‘Champions League final’ in FA Cup

Double-chasing Liverpool will not underestimate Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday, according to Arne Slot.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is prepared for a revved-up Accrington Stanley when the teams meet in the third round of the FA Cup at Anfield on Saturday.

Slot suffered only his second defeat as manager of the Reds in the club’s last match when they were beaten 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal.

FA Cup opponents Stanley sit 19th in English football’s fourth tier, while Slot’s Liverpool are top of the Premier League and Champions League standings.

“Every team against us is a special occasion for every team but especially a lower league team, so they will be all up for it. They have lived this game for weeks probably… so we need to bring the best out of ourselves,” Slot told reporters on Friday.

“If we go to the Champions League final, everyone is hyped up and that is for them tomorrow, it will feel like the Champions League final and we have to be aware of that.

“First half-hour is most difficult, they will be very intense and we have to be ready for them playing the best games of their lives. That is what we have to do too.”

Liverpool have been boosted by the return to training of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai after he recovered from illness. The 24-year-old Hungary captain had missed their 2-2 home draw against rivals Manchester United and the defeat by Tottenham.

Centreback Jarell Quansah, 21, is also available for selection.

“Every game is an opportunity for them to have a chance to play and this one as well,” Slot said.

“Dom trained with the under-21s yesterday. Jarell, like I said, he was a bit ill last week, as a result of that I had to take him off the game (against Tottenham) but I am expecting him to be available for tomorrow.”

Slot continued his defence of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was criticised by pundits for his performance against United.

The 26-year-old England right back, linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, put on a much-improved display against Tottenham on Wednesday after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

“Trent has had one difficult game for us and maybe a few that were OK to good. Mainly he has had great games when he played for us this season,” the Dutchman said.

“I know there is a lot of focus on him at the moment, but I would also like to highlight the focus on how well he did when he came on in the last half-hour (Tottenham) and how our fans reacted to him, that is what pleased me even more during that game.”

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Stanley, who are based in Lancashire, are perhaps best known among English football fans for a Milk Marketing Board television commercial in the 1980s which gently mocked the team’s obscurity.

“I do know about the milk advert,” Slot said when asked about what he knows about the relationship between Liverpool and Stanley.

“Immediately after the game (was drawn) there was a clip of a player that was so happy that he was going to play at Anfield. So these kinds of things I know.

“I know people from this area also play for that club. There’s quite a lot actually that I already know and, of course, I know a lot about the team.”