A massive 57-place divide in the English football pyramid is bridged tonight as Premier League champions Liverpool host League One side Barnsley at Anfield for a place in the FA Cup fourth round.
Arne Slot’s men enter the tie on a 10-game unbeaten run, though they have recorded draws in each of their last three outings, including a hard-fought 0-0 stalemate with league leaders Arsenal on Thursday. Barnsley, currently 17th in the third tier, will lean on a unique piece of history: the Tykes are on a two-game winning streak at Anfield, with victories in the Premier League (1997) and FA Cup (2008). Head Coach Conor Hourihane has urged his side to “maximise the opportunity” as they look to replicate one of the competition’s most famous modern upsets.
Liverpool vs Barnsley – FA Cup Preview and Team News
- Date: Monday, 12 January 2026
- Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
- Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
- Referee: Farai Hallam
- VAR: Not in operation
- Last Meeting: Barnsley 1–2 Liverpool (February 2008) — FA Cup
Team News
Liverpool
Arne Slot is expected to rotate heavily given the dense schedule and a mounting injury list. Conor Bradley was stretchered off against Arsenal and joins Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike (hamstring), and Wataru Endo on the sidelines. Mohamed Salah remains unavailable while on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Youth prospects Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, and Calvin Ramsay are all in contention for starts, while Federico Chiesa could lead the line.
Barnsley
The visitors will be without key midfielder Luca Connell, who is serving a suspension following a red card against Wigan Athletic. Otherwise, Hourihane has a bolstered squad following a 10-day break caused by recent postponements. New signing Eoghan O’Connell is eligible for selection, while former Liverpool academy players Adam Phillips and Vimal Yoganathan seek a memorable return to their former club.
Form
Liverpool
Liverpool enter this fixture on a 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions, though their recent momentum has been slowed by three consecutive draws. Their most recent outing was a 0-0 stalemate against title rivals Arsenal, following similar points shared in the Premier League. Despite these draws, the Reds have been dominant at Anfield in the FA Cup, winning eight of their last nine home matches in the competition and progressing from 13 of their last 14 third-round ties.
Barnsley
Barnsley arrive at Anfield in a difficult patch of form, currently winless in their last four matches in League One. This slump has seen them drop to 17th in the third-tier standings, though they have benefited from a recent 10-day hiatus due to match postponements. Notably, the Tykes have struggled significantly at the back, managing only two clean sheets in their last 25 matches across all competitions. However, they remain the only club currently holding a two-game winning run away at Liverpool.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool predicted XI: Mamardashvili; Ramsay, Gomez, Robertson, Kerkez; Nyoni, Jones; Frimpong, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Chiesa
Barnsley predicted XI: Mahoney; Watson, Gevigney, Shepherd, Earl; Phillips, Bland; Jalo, Kelly, McGoldrick; Keillor-Dunn
How to watch Liverpool vs Barnsley?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+, with coverage starting at 19:00 GMT.
Read more- Five of the biggest FA Cup third round upsets
See Also- Arne Slot makes Liverpool transfer point amid Guehi links
