Remarkable Stat Shows Liverpool's Struggles Against Lower League Opposition Away in FA Cup

​Liverpool's capitulation at League One Shrewsbury on Sunday evening was one of the rare moments of embarrassment for the Reds this season. 

Despite leading by two goals just 30 seconds after the second half had begun, the makeshift Liverpool side conspired to throw their advantage away, eventually falling foul of a Jason Cummings brace.

While Jurgen Klopp has taken both the Carabao and FA Cup with a pinch of salt this season, the German will have been left fuming with his side as they imploded at New Meadow against third-tier opposition. 

But this is not as rare a sight as Reds supporters may have hoped. While it seems staggering to think that the world champions were stumped by League One minnows Shrewsbury, this has been an all too frequent occurrence for the Reds in the 21st century.

In fact, courtesy of ​Opta, Liverpool have failed to win away at third-tier opposition in the FA Cup in 12 of their last 14 matches (W2 D11 L1), with their last such victory coming against Shrewsbury in February 1996.

​Liverpool's last trip to tackle the Shrews was 24 years ago, with Roy Evans' Reds easing to a comfortable 4-0 victory. However, Sunday's visit to Shropshire ended in a very different manner, with Klopp's young guns surrendering a two-goal lead for the first time since 2018 - prior to which they had won the previous 47 such games.

 

The 4-0 victory in 1996 later saw the Reds head to the FA Cup final, perhaps a good omen if the world champions can find their way in to the fifth round.

 

However, Klopp has reiterated that he will ​not be starting any senior players in the replay at Anfield, instead allowing youth players to take complete control of the affair, nor will the Liverpool boss be in charge of the tie himself, delegating that responsibility to Under-23 coach Neil Critchley.

 

As a result, Shrewsbury may fancy their chances of further extending the Reds' misery against third-tier opposition - this time at Anfield.


Source : 90min