Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the FA Cup third-round tie between Premier League high-flyers Liverpool and League Two promotion-chasing Plymouth Argyle.
First, let’s go through the teams and the big news is that Liverpool start with their youngest-ever side! Magic of the cup, eh.
Emre Can is the only player to be retained from the 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Monday, while Joe Gomez play his first match for 16 months.
Former Bohemians loanee Graham Carey starts for the visitors.
With nine goals and eight assists the 27-year-old Dubliner, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has caught the attention of several clubs higher up the football ladder.
Former Ireland U21 international Connor Smith is on the bench.
Liverpool have never lost an FA Cup game against a team from the fourth tier, while Plymouth have never previously won at Anfield. Can the Pilgrims write themselves into the history books today?
Plymouth’s best FA Cup run saw them reach the semi-final in 1985, while the Reds have lifted the famous trophy seven times, the last time in 2006.
Ireland international Anthony Pilkington was on target for the losing Bluebirds.
Here we go! Game on at Anfield!
WIDE! The first shot of the day is for the home side, with the ball falling to Ejaria at the edge of the box from a Liverpool corner, but the 19-year-old can’t direct his shot on target.
The League Two side are yet to settle but have just cleared a dangerous-looking free-kick that was floated into the box.
OFF TARGET! Stewart tries his luck from range but drags his shot wide.
82% possession for Liverpool. Plymouth need to change something here.
A foul on the edge of the box by Carey for a high challenge on Stewart.
Great position for the home side!
SAVE! Can’s right-footed effort is blocked by the defender Bradley – but the ball comes back to Ojo in the box but his tame header is easily gathered by McCormick.
CHANCE! The lively Woodburn gets his first opportunityof the game, he drags the ball into space but his clever dink is well read by the goalkeeper.
Plenty to digest so far.
16% possession, no shots and no corners but Plymouth are still in this cup tie.
Good feet by both Origi and Woodburn to avoid the hustling Plymouth defence in the box, but the young Welshman just runs out of pitch.
Searching ball by Can tries to pick out the darting run of Alexander-Arnold, but there is just too much whiz on the pass from the German.
A reminder of the Liverpool bench:
Mignolet, Klavan, Clyne, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Sturridge.
They wouldn’t fancy a long midweek trip to the south coast for a replay.
Much better from Liverpool.
Ojo twists and turns Slew on the edge of the box, but his cross is cleared for a corner.
A diving header from Miller from the resultant set-piece is very nearly inadvertently knocked into his own net.
Plymouth’s clean sheet remains intact.
37 minutes gone and Plymouth have had 21 passes!
Plymouth fans are raising their voices now – perhaps trying to keep themselves awake.
A free-kick for the away side and a chance to get a ball in the box. Defenders coming forward – first test of Karius.
But Carey’s ball is headed clear by Ejaria with referee Paul Tierney then blowing the half-time whistle.
HT: Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth
Here’s hoping for a better 45 in the second-half.
Here is how the first period looked in numbers (via BBC Sport):
Time for a change? Not at half-time, anyway.
Second-half has started!
Plymouth win a free-kick early in the second-half, but Dubliner Carey floats the ball into the hands of Karius – he is annoyed with himself – capable of so much more.
WIDE! Slew with a shot from distance that goes well, well wide but Plymouth are playing a little bit more advanced at the start of the second-half.
WIDE! Woodburn teases in an inviting floating ball but Ojo’s header goes wide.
Replays show it does strike a Plymouth defender’s hand. However, appeals for a penalty fall on deaf ears.
SAVE! Carey has the visitor’s first attempt on target but his long-range free-kick is straight at Karius.
SHOT! A powerful attempt by Lucas from distance is well gathered by McCormick.
Plymouth look more aggressive now though, this game is in danger of breaking into a cup tie.
Garita is lacking in strength, is he?
First change of the game!
SUB: Can is replaced by Sturridge.
SUB: Tanner is on and Garita is off for Plymouth.
Can Derek Adams’ side force a replay?
Delay in the match as Gary Miller receives treatment for a nasty injury, the defender is needing oxygen to ease the pain.
Meanwhile, we have two changes for Liverpool, who are looking to avoid a replay.
SUBS: Ejaria is replaced by Lallana and Firmino takes the place of Woodburn.
SUB: Smith replaces the injured Miller, who fell horribly on his ankle.
The crowd warmly applaud him off the pitch as he leaves on a stretcher.
Connor Smith, by the way, is a former Ireland U21 international from Mullingar.
15 minutes to go!
Trying to keep my enthusiasm, but this has been awful.
TACKLE! Plymouth very nearly caught Liverpool on the counter but a brilliant last-gasp challenge by Stewart on Tanner, after Carey set the sub free, ends the attack.
OVER! Firmino lifts a ball into the danger area, but an unbalanced Sturridge steers his header over the bar.
CHANCE! Lallana curs in an inch-perfect ball onto the head of Origi, but the striker fails to get any meaningful contact on the cross.
WIDE! Tricky footwork by Sturridge in the box gets the ball onto his left foot, however the striker pulls his attempt wide of the near post.
CHANCE! Great play by the winger Jervis, who drives with the ball into Liverpool’s box, but there is nobody there to get on the end of his whipped cross.
It looked a bad injury for Miller.
Good play by Carey draws a foul from Liverpool.
But the free-kick by Fox is headed clear.
Two minutes to go. Will we get a winner?
Six additional minutes!
Alexander-Arnold’s cross is straight into the body of McCormick.
Home crowd frustrated now.
FOUL: Slew commits a silly challenge on Ojo – chance for Liverpool to get the ball into the box.
SAVE! Irishman Smith almost knocks the ball into his own net from Aexander-Arnold’s free-kick, but McCormick is there to maintain the clean sheet.
WIDE! Lucas takes a shot of pure frustration as the Brazilian lashes a half-volley off target from more than 35 yards.
Final corner for Liverpool – seconds left.
Moreno’s ball is cleared and Plymouth remarkably earn a famous goalless draw at Anfield!
FT: Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth
Save the date in your diary for this replay!
Credit to Plymouth who refused to make it easy for the home side, but for a neutral it was one to forget – but the Pilgrims won’t care!
Thanks for joining us (and sticking with it).
We will have all the post-match reaction throughout the day.
In our first game, the Steelers are +11.5 favourites which seems a little high considering the Dolphins handed them a 15-point defeat back in October.
I still think Pittsburgh will have enough to win but the spread seems generous.
In the late game, the cold weather is seeing punters flock towards Green Bay and they’re 5.5 point favourites over the Giants.
In both of New York’s previous Super Bowl runs with Eli Manning, they’ve beaten Green Bay, and tonight will lean on their brilliant defence — linebackers aside — to just sneak the win.
That’s how I think it’ll play out, what about you?
Let me know in the comments section below.
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