FA Cup is Liverpool third priority says Barnes

Liverpool were drawn against Aston Villa for the FA Cup third round last month


The Reds travels to Villa Park for the FA Cup third round tie scheduled for Friday January 8.

Ahead of the showdown Liverpool legend John Barnes think the England long-lived competition will  be deemed a third priority by Premier League's top six clubs in the face of other top-flight competitions.

Although Barnes believes Jurgen Klopp's men will take Villa seriously.

"I don’t think winning the FA Cup will be a priority, especially if it means that Liverpool could finish fifth and get knocked out of the Champions League," Barnes said.

"The Cup won’t be a priority at all, but Klopp takes all the games Liverpool play seriously because you don’t want to perform badly in the FA Cup because there’s a game three days later and a team can’t just turn on and turn off performances because it is a lesser opposition, so Klopp demands a performance every time the team plays.


"Ask any manager in the top six where the FA Cup is on the list of priorities and it will be third, that’s not disrespectful to the cup.

Liverpool are handed the chance to exact revenge on Aston Villa on Friday, brushing up an embarrassing 7-2 Premier League defeat suffered two months ago.

Barnes think it'll be the Reds chance despite their poor form in recent days.

"Liverpool will take the game against Aston Villa very seriously," added Barnes.

"I think the team against Aston Villa will be a mixture of reserve players but the front three won’t play because they need a rest having played a lot of football.

"It won’t be the strongest side but Kloppp won’t be disrespectful towards Villa and not take it seriously, because any player that plays for Liverpool whether it is in the league or the cup, there are lots of demands on them to perform in exactly the same way.

"Regardless of what team Liverpool puts up, particularly after they lost to Southampton and drew at Newcastle, I think that there will be a performance demanded of them and a reaction."

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