FA Cup: Liverpool could still go strong against Shrewsbury despite Covid concerns

LC: It seems to have been an extremely uncertain time for Liverpool with the recent Covid-19 outbreak?

PG: It has. Currently it’s only three members of the first-team squad, Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip, who tested positive, but on top of that there’s Jurgen Klopp, Pep Lijnders and three unnamed backroom staff.

We would imagine it’s a pretty severe outbreak to cancel training, close the training ground and postpone Thursday’s semi-final at Arsenal. It shows how dire the situation is behind the scenes.

Liverpool test as cars pull up at the AXA Training Centre of a morning and go from there as a base test. Liverpool have had just one of the 18 Premier League games postponed due to Covid – that was at Leeds’ expense. They’ve tried their best to keep the lid on outbreaks and fulfil fixtures as best they can.

LC: Assuming everything goes ahead, how do you think Liverpool will view Sunday’s tie?

PG: It felt like the big one for Liverpool was the Arsenal semi-final. It’s not just Covid, injuries and illness have been cited. Once the Premier League and whoever else made it clear you can get games postponed due to injuries and Covid it opened a can of worms.

Liverpool have Thiago injured. Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi, Nat Phillips and Harvey Elliott on top of the three isolating and the three (Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita) who are AFCON-bound.

The absentee numbers are stacking up. I think they’re very wary of playing these semi-finals with a side not as strong when there’s a big chance of silverware, as the Premier League looks to be drifting away.

On Sunday, being at Anfield against a lower-league team in Shrewsbury, Liverpool will be confident enough they can be competitive with a team largely of under-23s, maybe with one or two more experienced heads in there.

LC: How are Liverpool viewing the domestic cup competitions this season?

PG: People often say Klopp hasn’t prioritised the cups and that would be fair, but I’d also point to the amount of unlucky draws he’s had, it always seems to be a Premier League team who knock them out, there has been Wolves, Chelsea, West Brom...

They are in the semis of the Carabao Cup for the first time in five years and they’ll have every confidence in getting to Wembley.

The FA Cup is probably Liverpool’s lowest priority. They will never admit it but the Premier League has probably got away from them, being 11 points behind Manchester City.

They are good enough to beat anyone over two legs in the Champions League. I think they’re looking at that and the Carabao Cup to have a good go. They will take the FA Cup as it comes. Sunday’s draw is a kind one given recent difficulties.

But they certainly won’t be taking Shrewsbury lightly. They’ll know from a couple of years ago they won’t just go and steamroller them, that it’ll be a proper game, and will try to get a relatively strong team out there.

LC: What can Shrewsbury expect to come up against on Sunday?

PG: We’re not too privy into who might have returned a positive test. If who we think is fit is still fit now I think it could be a pretty strong side, as now they won’t have a game until the rearranged first leg against Arsenal next Thursday.

Plenty of players need rhythm. The likes of Joe Gomez in defence, if Minamino’s fit I’d imagine he’d start.

I think Diogo Jota and Firmino are going to play actually, Liverpool don’t have too many attacking options with three up front.

Young Kaide Gordon is a great prospect, he’s only just turned 17 and may be one to keep an eye on Sunday.

But a few players need to play. Gomez, Andy Robertson hasn’t played too much (due to a suspension). Neco Williams you’d imagine will feature, possibly further forward as part of the attack, I know they have high hopes for young right-back Conor Bradley.

I think Klopp still has enough, even with the injuries and Covid, to put out a strong enough team to give Shrewsbury a go. I’d imagine it’ll be a big game for many in the squad.

LC: Can Shrewsbury Town take heart from Liverpool’s recent struggles in dropping points?

PG: Oh yes, no doubt about it. From Shrewsbury’s perspective you want a little bit of everything to go your way in the build-up and it couldn’t be worse preparation for Liverpool, not knowing day-to-day who will be isolating next.

It’s probably good news for them, I’d suggest. They’ll come to Anfield in the knowledge if they get beat it’ll be no real shock and they can give their all and see where it takes them. I suppose they will hope it’s more of a youth than senior side, but it’s tough to say with too much certainty at the moment.