Liverpool vs Shrewsbury preview: FA Cup fourth-round replay
Teams drew 2-2 in the first meeting at New Meadow
Monday 3 February 2020 21:22, UK
Team news and stats for Tuesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay between Liverpool and Shrewsbury.
Team news
Left-back Yasser Larouci faces a late fitness test and should the 19-year-old not make it, Adam Lewis - back from a lengthy injury layoff - could start after two substitute appearances for the U23s.
With manager Jurgen Klopp enforcing the mid-season break for his first-team players, Curtis Jones, Pedro Chirivella, Neco Williams and Harvey Elliott are set to start, having done so in the first meeting.
They will be joined by a number of players who featured in December's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa - when the first-team were in Qatar at the Club World Cup - with the likes of defenders Ki-Jana Hoever and Sepp Van Den Berg playing.
- Klopp's faith in U23s 'unbelievable'
- Klopp: Kids will play FA Cup replay
- Accrington chairman's Liverpool rant
- Shrewsbury fans: Klopp 'lacks respect'
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury skipper Ollie Norburn looks set to miss the game.
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The midfielder was sidelined for Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Rochdale after sustaining a knee injury in the first game against the Reds and boss Sam Ricketts said on Friday that Norburn would be out of action for "a week to 10 days".
Forward Conor McAleny made his debut against Dale but he is cup-tied having played for Fleetwood in an earlier round, although he would have been ruled out regardless having signed for the club after the initial tie had been played.
That rule also means deadline-day arrivals Kayne Ramsay and Harry Burgoyne cannot be involved.
Who is Neil Critchley?
The U23s coach came to wider public attention in December when he was put in charge of a youthful side to play the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Villa 24 hours before the first team played in Doha.
Critchley, a former junior player at Crewe, moved to Liverpool in September 2013 having been academy director at the Alex for six years. Working in the Reds' academy, he took charge of the U18s until stepping up to the U23s in 2017 to allow former midfielder Steven Gerrard to begin his coaching career with the younger players.
Critchley was also handpicked by The Football Association to take UEFA's first elite badge course and one of the highest-graded coaches in Europe.
Klopp's faith in Liverpool U23s 'unbelievable'
Critchley has thanked Klopp for his "unbelievable support" ahead of the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Shrewsbury, with the U23s set for a "unique" night at Anfield.
"I never thought it would happen once, let alone twice," Critchley said. "I'm really looking forward to what will be a special night. The young players will get a unique opportunity.
"I think the manager has made it quite clear with his statement and what he said prior to the game. He gives myself, and the staff, unbelievable support.
"I can speak to him whenever I like. He supports the young players unbelievably well, as he has shown so far this season.
"His presence is always felt even if he isn't there. Especially by our younger players, and me myself.
"I also think that the way we played against Aston Villa, he may have felt that the boys deserved another opportunity."
Who are the Reds' kids?
Ironically, a number of the youngsters have been the best performers in the FA Cup this season and five of the side who started against Shrewsbury are likely to be in the XI for the replay.
Toxteth-born 19-year-old Curtis Jones has scored in both matches, including a brilliant winner against Everton, and has made seven first-team appearances.
Pedro Chirivella, 22, is another who has impressed in the FA Cup, while Harvey Elliott, the 16-year-old summer signing from Fulham, Wales youth international Neco Williams and Larouci - providing he passes a late fitness test - will meet the Shrews again.
Midfielder Leighton Clarkson, 18, who travelled to Shropshire, but did not make the final squad, is also likely to play. Another summer arrival, 18-year-old Sepp Van Den Berg, who came from PEC Zwolle, will play in central defence along with another Dutchman Ki-Jana Hoever, who also has some first-team experience.
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 21, has made three Carabao Cup appearances for the club this season. Striker Joe Hardy, who only joined from Brentford last month, looks likely to play up front.
Ricketts wants to keep making memories
Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts wants his players to create more FA Cup memories when they travel to Anfield on Tuesday.
Following a 2-2 draw in their fourth-round meeting, Klopp made the decision to withdraw his first-team players for the replay in order to respect the Premier League's mid-season break.
For Shrewsbury, who have already played six games in the FA Cup this season after replays in the first and third rounds, they are just looking forward to another fixture in the competition.
Ricketts told the official club website: "We are here because we take the early rounds of the FA Cup so seriously.
"We want to create memories and moments like this. It will be an occasion, like the first game was, that everyone involved will remember for the rest of their lives.
"This is our seventh game in the competition this year. We have earned this replay, we have come through some tough games to get to this point. We want to enjoy this moment by doing the right things."
Opta stats
- Liverpool host Shrewsbury in a match for the first time, with their two previous meetings coming at the Shrews in FA Cup ties - a 4-0 win for the Reds in February 1996 and their 2-2 draw in this season's fourth round.
- In all competitions, Shrewsbury have won one of their 28 away matches against sides from the top-flight (W1 D3 L24), a 1-0 win at Leicester City in August 2014 in the League Cup.
- Liverpool have won just one of their last five home FA Cup matches against sides from outside the Premier League (W1 D3 L1) - three of those five games have ended 0-0.
- In all competitions, Shrewsbury will be the 99th different English team to play away at Liverpool and first new opponent for the Reds since Havant & Waterlooville in January 2008. Only eight of the previous 98 won their first away game at Liverpool, most recently Wimbledon in March 1987.
- Shrewsbury Town's Jason Cummings scored with both of his shots on target in their 2-2 draw in the original tie against Liverpool - the Shrews were the first team to come from two goals behind to avoid defeat against the Reds since April 2018 when West Brom did so.
