Premier League champions-elect Liverpool travel to New Meadow on Sunday for an FA Cup fourth round tie against third-tier outfit Shrewsbury Town.
Shrewsbury find themselves 16th in League One after failing to win any of their previous five league games.
It’s fair to say that Sam Ricketts’ side have struggled for goals this season, with only bottom club Bolton scoring fewer goals than Shrewsbury in the division.
However, the Shrews will come into this game with plenty of confidence after seeing off Championship side Bristol City in the third round.
Shrewsbury managed a draw at Aston Gate before Aaron Pierre’s 89th minute winner saw Ricketts’ men claim a famous win in the replay.
Liverpool beat Wolves in their previous game to remain unbeaten in 2019/20 and move 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
The Reds’ league form has been nothing short of sensational all season, but Jurgen Klopp has opted to field weakened teams in domestic cup competitions this term.
Liverpool’s youngsters beat Merseyside rivals Everton in the third round of the FA Cup thanks to a wonder goal from 18-year-old Curtis Jones.
However, Klopp’s kids were hammered 5-0 by Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup last month.
Klopp is likely to select another highly inexperienced side for the trip to New Meadow. With the Premier League remaining Liverpool’s main focus, the majority of first-team regulars are expected to sit out on Sunday.
Third-round hero Curtis Jones should come back into the starting line-up, while 16-year-old Harvey Elliott is also likely to feature.
Shrewsbury boss Sam Ricketts will surely name a full-strength team, but right-back Ryan Sears will miss out due to injury.
Shrewsbury and Liverpool have only faced each other once previously, with the Reds thrashing Shrewsbury 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round back in 1996.
It’s important to remember that the Shrews have been eliminated from the FA Cup by top-flight opponents in three of the last four seasons. That trend is set to continue this season.
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Liverpool aren’t likely to be at their best, but the Premier League side should still have enough quality to get the better of their lower-league opponents.
Forebet predicts that the Reds will register a low-scoring win, booking their place in the next round.