Liverpool can build on making the Carabao Cup final during the week by taking another step forward in the FA Cup against Plymouth Argyle.
By Graham Ruthven
Is the Quadruple on?
Top of the Premier League. Through to the Champions League last 16 after finishing top of the 32-team league phase. Through to the Carabao Cup final. A win over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup this weekend would add to the growing sense Liverpool could win the Quadruple this season.
By every measure, Liverpool are the strongest team in England right now, making them firm favourites to sweep aside their struggling Championship opponents on Sunday afternoon.
On the face of it, this could be a mismatch. Plymouth are currently marooned at the foot of the Championship table and are on their second manager of the season after Miron Muslić replaced Wayne Rooney. Argyle haven’t had their problems to seek.
However, the Devon outfit are fresh from a 2-1 win over West Brom and a very respectable 2-2 draw away to Sunderland which suggest Plymouth are turning a corner under their new manager.
A win over the Premier League table-toppers might be beyond The Pilgrims, but Sunday’s David v Goliath clash could epitomise the ‘Magic of the Cup.’
Key players
Ryan Hardie bagged a brace against West Brom on Saturday and could be in line to start against Liverpool. Mustapha Bundu could drop out of the team to make way for the Scottish striker.
After the departure of star player Morgan Whittaker to Middlesbrough in the transfer window, Plymouth are lacking an attacking dimension. Whittaker’s stunning strike against Brentford put Argyle into the FA Cup fourth round in the first place.
January signing and former Rangers defender Nikola Katić made his Argyle debut against the Baggies and will likely start in the centre of a back three
Arne Slot is expected to rotate his squad for the trip to Devon this weekend. This would have been likely anyway, but the exerts of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final win over Tottenham Hotspur make it even more probable.
Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa could all be in line for a start at Home Park. Even still, Liverpool should have the strength in depth to make the fifth round.
Team news
Brendan Galloway, Kornél Szűcs and Joe Edwards are all expected to be sidelined through injury for Plymouth as they welcome the eight-times FA Cup winners to Home Park.
Nigerian forward Muhamed Tijani was back on the bench for the draw away to Sunderland after missing a number of months of action with a hamstring injury. He could feature against Liverpool on Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold missed Thursday’s Carabao Cup win over Spurs and could be unavailable for this weekend’s FA Cup fourth round tie. This might hand another first team opportunity to Conor Bradley.
Darwin Núñez started ahead of Diogo Jota in the win over Tottenham on Thursday and so the Portuguese forward could be rotated into the starting lineup.
Prediction
Unless the Magic of the Cup springs a surprise, this should be a routine win for a rotated Liverpool squad: 3-0 to the away side.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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