Verdict: Home win to nil
Best odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Betfair
Liverpool are set to continue their quest for a quadruple as they face Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield. The Reds have recently advanced to the EFL Cup final for the 2023/24 season, defeating Fulham over two legs in the semi-finals. But in this competition, they started by eliminating Arsenal at the Emirates with a 2-0 triumph.
Meanwhile, Norwich progressed in the FA Cup by eliminating Bristol Rovers in a replay.
Liverpool
The news that has hit the Merseyside and the whole football world on Friday is that Jurgen Klopp has announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the season, concluding what has been a remarkable eight-and-a-half-year tenure in the Anfield dugout. The millions of Liverpool supporters around the globe are still in shock, having not expected this development after Klopp signed a contract until 2026 only two years ago.
It remains to be seen what effect on the players his announcement makes, though it stands to reason to assume that they’ve known about his decision for a while yet, as he revealed he had told the club about it in November.
Liverpool are currently at the top of the Premier League table. They’ve advanced to the knockout stage of the Europa League, they’re set to appear in the EFL Cup final, and they’re obviously a part of the FA Cup as well. If they manage to add a trophy (or more) to Klopp’s impressive record at the club, his departure will be even more glorious and emotional.
If the players have been aware of Klopp’s decision since November, their recent superb form can possibly be partly explained through a desire to give the charismatic German as many good memories as possible. Liverpool are undefeated in their last nine games in all competitions, and even the loss that preceded the run was of no consequence: 2-1 away to Union SG in the Europa League, when their place in the round of 16 as the group winners was already secure.
Team News
Several long-term absentees are approaching their comeback dates, though this game still comes too soon for most. Andy Robertson was on the bench against Fulham on Wednesday, and he will probably be on the bench again against Norwich, with Joe Gomez playing admirably on the left defensive flank and Conor Bradley doing more than a good job on the right.
Kostas Tsimikas, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold all remain out, as does Mohamed Salah who has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations for treatment, in the hope of returning to help his country of Egypt if they reach the final. Wataru Endo is still with Japan at the Asian Cup.
Joel Matip will not play again this season, and young winger Ben Doak will take some time to get back into action.
Norwich City
Klopp and his old friend David Wagner are set to share a warm moment before kick-off, but despite their strong friendship, competition will take precedence once the match kicks off, with both teams vying for a place in the next round.
The one thing that might offer the Canaries some hope for this fixture is the fact that three of the last four teams to have beaten Liverpool at Anfield – now play in the Championship. Still, the hope will be very thin indeed, with Liverpool surely motivated not to allow Klopp’s final FA Cup campaign to end with a defeat to a second-tier side at Anfield.
Norwich faced an unexpected third-round replay with Bristol Rovers, the result of a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road in the first game, in which they secured a 3-1 victory. Apart from those games, their recent results include a 2-1 triumph away to Hull City, a 2-0 win at home against West Bromwich Albion, and a 1-0 defeat away to Leeds United – the last team to have beaten Liverpool at Anfield to date.
Wagner’s side currently sit in ninth place in the Championship, working to improve their position in the playoff race. In the FA Cup, Norwich City aims to break a streak of 12 consecutive losses against teams competing in the top flight while playing outside the Premier League.
Norwich’s most recent victory over Liverpool occurred almost 30 years ago, in April 1994, on Anfield soil. However, in the fifth round of the 2021/22 season, Liverpool secured a 2-1 win, extending their winning streak to seven consecutive victories over Norwich.
Team News
Norwich have had some minor problems in the centre-back department, with David Batth ruled out and Grant Hanley freshly returned to action after missing the Leeds match with a back problem.
Wagner should have the rest of his squad available to play, and the fact that Norwich players are not involved in the ongoing international tournaments in Africa and Asia will play to their advantage.
Conclusion
Seeing their manager for the first time since the fateful announcement, the Liverpool supporters will surely be in loud voice on Saturday, pouring additional energy into the home players. Meanwhile, the visitors aren’t likely to pose much of a threat, in what is probably a match lost before it starts.
Verdict: Home win to nil
Best odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Betfair
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