Liverpool could be in line to face a youthful Aston Villa side in the FA Cup third round tonight as Dean Smith’s first team all go into self-isolation after a virus outbreak in the Midlanders’ squad.
Facing an XI made up of Villa academy players and managed by the youth team manager Mark Delaney would be a complete role reversal from last season when the Reds were forced to field a youthful side at Villa Park in a domestic cup fixture.
Jurgen Klopp and his first team were in Qatar competing for and ultimately winning the FIFA Club World Cup, whilst simultaneously they were due to be in Birmingham for a Carabao Cup quarter-final.
With the authorities insisting the tie needed to be played on the date scheduled, Liverpool fielded a side with an average age of just 19 years and six months. The young Reds were put the sword 5-0 by a rotated Villa outfit, with Trezeguet being criticised for a seemingly excessive goal celebration.
Ahead of the prospect of a bizarre turning of the tables and a shot at retribution, these Kopites on Twitter have been looking forward to exacting some revenge…
Twitter: @_pauljoyce need shaqiri doing this after scoring his 10th goal against their u10s https://t.co/hwDnDmUNvr (@Shaun_Matthews_)
Twitter: @indykaila @AVFCOfficial Lets celebrate like they did last year agains Liverpool u21 (@ilir05281060)
Twitter: @_pauljoyce We had to play with an academy squad when the first team was in another country. So i guess the precedent has already been set. (@davidcurwen)
Twitter: @_pauljoyce should play their reserves
Twitter: @_pauljoyce They should play there youth or forfeit they didn’t postpone for us last year (@lfcfigoo)
Twitter: @_pauljoyce We had to field kids when we were in the Club World Cup last year… play the kids or forfeit.. sure we… https://t.co/UgDhUveW69 (@garethcmitchell)
