After suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield to open their 2025–26 campaign, Liverpool responded emphatically by winning their next seven matches across the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup.
However, despite the results, there were warning signs in several of those performances, with late goals often needed to secure victories.
That fragility eventually caught up with the Reds as Crystal Palace handed them their first league defeat of the season on matchday six, triggering a difficult run that saw Liverpool win just three of their next 12 matches in all competitions, alongside nine defeats.
Arne Slot has since steadied the ship, guiding his side into a 10-game unbeaten run, featuring five wins and five draws.
Despite signs of improvement, Liverpool come into this FA Cup tie on the back of three consecutive draws, a run that has included a goalless league stalemate with Arsenal and a late setback against Fulham that denied them victory.
With that recent sequence still fresh, Arne Slot will be eager to steady his side and avoid a repeat of last season’s surprise fourth-round exit, when a narrow 1–0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle ended their cup run earlier than expected.
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Barnsley arrive at Anfield enduring a challenging League One campaign, currently sitting 17th with eight wins, five draws and eight defeats from 21 matches. While games in hand could offer hope of climbing the table, recent form has been discouraging, with the Tykes winless in four matches and struggling badly away from home.
According to Softfootball, Liverpool remain overwhelming favourites despite expected squad rotation and injury absences. The Reds also confirmed their focus on the competition via their official X handle, with one fan reacting to the post, saying:
Arne Slot and Liverpool must understand that no cup is less important. Give equal attention to every trophy while you rotate your players. You can’t spend that huge signing new players and still select the competition to take seriously. The Emirates FA Cup is an old and important competition you must strive to win the trophy. You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Team News
Liverpool are dealing with multiple absentees, including Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike, Stefan Bajcetic and Wataru Endo, while Mohamed Salah remains away on AFCON duty.
Slot is expected to rotate his squad, potentially handing starts to young talents such as Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and Calvin Ramsay.
Barnsley will be without suspended midfielder Luca Connell following his red card against Wigan, but the rest of the squad is available after a prolonged break due to postponed fixtures.
Possible Lineups
Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Ramsay, Gomez, Robertson, Kerkez; Nyoni, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Jones, Ngumoha; Chiesa
Barnsley: Mahoney; Watson, Gevigney, Shepherd, Earl; Phillips, Bland; Jalo, Kelly, McGoldrick; Keillor-Dunn
Where to watch
The match will be broadcast live across multiple regions, with TNT Sports 1 showing the game in the UK, ESPN providing coverage in the United States, SonyLIV airing it in India, and Stan Sport carrying the fixture in Australia.
Prediction
Predictions for the FA Cup third-round clash between Liverpool and Barnsley lean heavily in the Reds’ favour. Sports Mole has tipped a dominant 4–0 Liverpool victory. Big Sport does not offer a fixed score, though its analysis suggests a 4–0 outcome carries a modest 7% probability. The tie is set for Monday, January 12, 2026, at Anfield, with kickoff scheduled for 7:45 PM GMT (8:45 PM CET/20:45pm WAT).
