After a shock fourth-round exit at the hands of Plymouth Argyle last season, Liverpool will hope to avoid another upset, but just how far can they extend their run in the world’s oldest club competition?
Slot all too familiar with a ‘giant-killing’
As the full-time whistle blew at Home Park, Arne Slot’s first season in English football involved a gruelling 90-minute lesson on the art of a ‘giant-killing’.
Plymouth, who were bottom of the Championship at the time, completed a 1-0 win over the Reds, and Slot paid the ultimate price for underestimating the unpredictable nature of the FA Cup.
A feeble defence of their Premier League crown, inconsistent form in the Champions League and an early Carabao Cup exit leaves the FA Cup as possibly Liverpool’s only opportunity to win a trophy this season.
However, a 10-game unbeaten run means that not all hope is lost, and as Liverpool host Barnsley in the third round, this competition could yet bring out some of their best football this season.
Liverpool’s attack lacking potency
To the surprise of many, Liverpool were equal to Arsenal during their clash on Thursday, and Slot’s side will have felt they deserved more than a point, but for their lack of a focal point further forward.
With Mohamed Salah away at the AFCON, strikers Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike sustaining injuries, the Merseyside club have failed to put many of their chances away.
Their plight isn’t helped by the inconsistent form displayed by both Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz, and the low blocks Liverpool are due to face in this competition pose a huge problem to their blunt attack.
The good news is that Ekitike is nearing his way back to full fitness and may feature alongside Barnsley, as will fan-favourite Federico Chiesa.
Anfield will also be desperate to see young prospect Rio Ngumoha in the matchday squad, whose lightning-quick pace and tricky wing play will undoubtedly get fans off their seats.
Reds’ indifferent campaign changes priorities
Such is the reality of playing in the Premier League and its intense schedule, Liverpool also have to juggle the Champions League, which is approaching the final stages of its ‘league phase’
A top-four finish in the Premier League is a must for Slot’s side, and a top-eight finish in Europe’s elite competition sends them straight to the Round of 16, bypassing the two-legged playoff round.
These two competitions will most likely take priority over the FA Cup, regardless of Liverpool’s progress in this competition.
While Slot’s scars from last season will prevent him from depriving his FA Cup matchday squads of too much quality, his focus will be on keeping his players fit for the top-flight and Europe.
In doing so, it will offer Liverpool’s peripheral squad members the chance to lay down the gauntlet and cause a further selection dilemma for their manager the further they progress.
Cup success could re-establish bond with fans
For many months now, Liverpool have been grappling with their identity, and despite a league title in his debut season, Arne Slot is experiencing something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp did not – a disconnect with the fans
Liverpool’s last match at Anfield, their first in 2026, ended in boos after a drab 0-0 draw with Leeds following a contest that lacked intensity, creativity and spirit.
However, a battling run in the FA Cup that ends in silverware would go a long way in the hearts and minds of Reds, especially after their last visit to Wembley ended in heartbreak.
Even a recent improvement in form has not been enough to convince some Liverpool fans that Slot is the man to take this new-look side into the future, playing a brand of football that reflects its fan base.
To suggest that an FA Cup triumph will make or break Slot’s tenure at Liverpool is farcical, but it certainly serves as an opportunity to act as the building blocks for a new era at Anfield.
Prediction:
Quarter Final (6th Round)