Liverpool vs Cardiff news: Reds should cruise past Bluebirds in FA Cup fourth round

Dave Tindall
5 February 2022

Jurgen Klopp is still without star strikers Mo Salah and Sadio Mane but the hosts should prove far too strong for their Welsh visitors at Anfield on Sunday lunchtime.

Liverpool have already booked their place in one domestic cup final this season after setting up a Carabao Cup showdown against Chelsea later this month.

And a home draw against Championship side Cardiff in round four of the FA Cup suggests their hopes of making it a Wembley double are nicely on track too.

Jurgen Klopp's men came past Shrewsbury 4-1 at Anfield in the third round while Cardiff edged out Preston 2-1 after extra-time.

This pair contested the 2012 League Cup final, with Cardiff giving Liverpool a huge scare before the Reds won after a penalty shootout.

When: Sunday, February 6, 12:00 GMT

Where: Anfield

How to watch: ITV 1

Follow this game via our score centre

Who is the ref for Liverpool v Cardiff

Andrew Madley is the man in the middle at Anfield on Sunday.

The West Yorkshire official has taken charge of two Liverpool fixtures this season - the 3-0 home win over Crystal Palace and the thrilling 3-3 draw against Leicester in the Carabao Cup.

He booked Kostas Tsimikas, Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah in the Palace game and youngster Tyler Morton against Leicester.

He showed seven yellows in all across those two matches.

Season stats 2021/22: All games (18), yellows (46), reds (3), penalties (4)

Recent form

Liverpool enjoyed a strong second half of January, winning all three matches they played.

And they did so without Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita who were away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.

The Reds beat Brentford 3-0 at Anfield, booked their place in the Carabao Cup final after an impressive 2-0 win at Arsenal and held off a fightback to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park.

The latter saw Liverpool cut Manchester City's lead at the top of the table to nine points and the Merseysiders have a game in hand.

In that same time frame, Cardiff played four times. They lost their first two matches but head to Anfield with confidence up again.

That was due to back-to-back Championship wins - a 2-1 home success over Nottingham Forest and a 1-0 victory at Barnsley.

The latter was their fifth away win of the season and they've beaten better teams on their travels than at home.

Cardiff have accrued 29 points this season and 19 came on the road.

That said, Liverpool are the only top-flight side with an unbeaten home record this term. They've played 10, winning seven and drawing three.

Liverpool and Cardiff players in form

Fabinho has perhaps been Liverpool's most impressive player in recent matches.

He's done his usual excellent job of breaking up play and shielding the back four and was one of the Reds' top performers against both Arsenal and Palace.

The Brazilian is also Liverpool's penalty taker with Salah absent and has been a threat from set-pieces.

As a result he's popped up with four goals in his last five appearances.

Diogo Jota had the task of stepping up with Salah and Mane away and he did just that with two excellent goals in the 2-0 win over Arsenal.

As well as that cup brace, he's also the second highest scorer in the Premier League this season with 10 goals.

Trent Alexander-Arnold set both goals up at Arsenal and the right-back has 14 assists in 25 matches in all competitions this term. Fellow full-back Andy Robertson has nine.

For Cardiff, Isaak Davies has two goals in his last five games. The first of those came in the 2-1 third-round win over Preston.

Last three matches

Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool (Premier League - April 21, 2019)

Their last meeting came in the Premier League nearly three years ago when second-half goals from Gini Wijnaldum and a James Milner penalty gave Klopp's title hopefuls a vital three points.

The hosts battled well but the win took Liverpool top while Cardiff remained in the relegation zone.

Liverpool 4-1 Cardiff (Premier League - October 27, 2018)

Liverpool continued their fast start to the campaign with a convincing 4-1 home win.

Mo Salah put the Reds in front after 10 minutes and a Sadio Mane double (66, 87) and another from Xherdan Shaqiri (84) secured a comfortable win.

Callum Paterson pulled one back with Cardiff's first shot on target on 77.

Cardiff 3-6 Liverpool (Premier League - March 22, 2014)

Liverpool ran riot as a rampant Luis Suarez fired in a hat-trick to take his Premier League tally that season to 28.

Cardiff played their part in a hugely entertaining game and twice were in front thanks to goals from Jordon Mutch and Fraizer Campbell.

But despite their best attempts, Liverpool were simply unstoppable. Suarez netted on 16, 60 and 90, Daniel Sturridge added another on 75 and there were even two goals from defender Martin Skrtel (41, 54).

Past ten matches

Liverpool wins: 5

Draws: 1

Cardiff wins: 4

Liverpool scored: 22

Cardiff scored: 20

Manager's thoughts

Jurgen Klopp on his desire to reach a second cup final this season: "Massive. I cannot say more.

"We are not the most successful FA Cup team at least as long as I'm here. Yeah, we are quite ambitious."

Cardiff boss Steve Morison on relishing the experience: "You need to enjoy it. You can't leave with regrets.

"From my experience as a player, it was different because it was a league game and we needed to get a result. We'll see what happens but we've got some really, really talented players."

Predicted Liverpool v Cardiff teams

Any hopes Liverpool had of having Salah and Mane back for this one were scuppered when they helped guide their respective countries, Egypt and Senegal, to the Africa Cup of Nations final.

One of them will return home triumphant, which is something that cannot be said of Naby Keita who is already back after Guinea's exit in the last 16.

Liverpool made a dramatic transfer window swoop for Luis Diaz but the Colombian is unlikely to be thrown straight in after being away on international duty.

Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott are also in contention after returning to first-team training.

Possible Liverpool starting line-up: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Henderson, Fabinho, Jones, Gordon, Jota, Firmino.

Cardiff can no longer call on the services of Kieffer Moore after the Bluebirds' top scorer this season made a deadline day move to Bournemouth.

Uche Ikpeazu has been brought in from Middlesbrough as a replacement although he's cup-tied along with Max Watters, Alfie Doughty and Cody Drameh.

Youngsters Isaak Davies, Joel Bagan, Mark Harris and Rubin Colwill could be given the chance to step in.

Possible Cardiff line-up: Smithies, McGuinness, Flint, Davies, Harris, Colwill, Ng, Vaulks, Wintle, Doyle, Hugill.

Liverpool v Cardiff prediction

Klopp has lost in the fourth round in four of his six FA Cup campaigns but this looks a golden chance to progress.

Even though Salah (Egypt) and Mane (Senegal) will be contesting the Africa Cup of Nations final the same day, the Reds should still have too much firepower and can win with something to spare.

Cardiff have lost six of their last seven FA Cup ties against top-fight opposition and expect that to become seven in eight.