Arne Slot has urged Liverpool’s players to remain vigilant ahead of their FA Cup third-round clash with Accrington Stanley on Saturday, warning them that the League Two side will treat the match as their “Champions League final.”
Accrington, who are 87 places below the Premier League leaders in the football pyramid, will visit Anfield for what will be a historic opportunity for the underdogs. A victory for John Doolan’s team would be one of the greatest upsets in the FA Cup’s storied history.
“The challenge is always to bring out the best in ourselves,” said Slot, who will face an English lower-league side for the first time in a competitive match. “For any team, playing against us is a special occasion, but for a lower-league team, it’s even more significant. They’ve been looking forward to this for weeks, and they’ll be fully fit and ready to play.”
The Feyenoord manager likened the encounter to a Champions League final, emphasizing how intense the first 25 to 30 minutes of the game could be. “They will hype themselves up, and that’s what we have to prepare for. We need to be aware that they will give the best performance of their lives. It’s our job to match that intensity and be ready for what will be a difficult start.”
Liverpool has already extended hospitality to Accrington by offering them the use of their training ground, as the recent cold weather impacted the visitors’ facilities.
Slot also hinted that Saturday could offer an opportunity for fringe players to get some much-needed minutes, including Federico Chiesa, who has seen limited action since his summer move from Juventus. Chiesa, having made only one start for Liverpool, will face stiff competition for playing time from the likes of Cody Gakpo, Luis Díaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and Mo Salah.
“Federico has to compete with quality players, which is why he hasn’t played much,” Slot acknowledged. “But we’ll see in the coming weeks if he can help us. The second half of the season is even more important than the first.”
