Minnow Exeter plotting ambush of Liverpool
What we don’t want to do is just go into the game to defend.” Paul Tisdale, Exeter manager
Liverpool is one step away from Wembley in the League Cup, but has been promised a testing start to its FA Cup campaign by underdog Exeter City.
A 1-0 victory at Stoke City in the first leg of its League Cup semifinal on Tuesday has put Juergen Klopp’s side in a strong position to reach the final at the end of February.
It is also odds-on to overcome fourth-tier Exeter in Friday’s FA Cup third-round tie, but Exeter’s manager, Paul Tisdale, said a run of four straight defeats does not reflect how his team has been playing.
“I’d rather have been winning games going into the match, but I happen to think that we have been playing pretty well,” said Tisdale, whose side has reached round three for the first time since 2005.
“Although we have lost games, I don’t think we have looked like a side that has suddenly lost our energy and our purpose.
“On the contrary, I think we have gained some, but unfortunately it hasn’t manifested itself in any results. We have to gather confidence from that.”
Exeter sits 16th in England’s bottom division, 76 places below Liverpool in the English league system.
But Tisdale, in charge since 2006, said his team will take the fight to Liverpool as it looks to pull off a result comparable to its 0-0 draw against Manchester United at this stage of the tournament 11 years ago.
“It’s a compromise between how much you risk, but what we don’t want to do is just go into the game to defend,” said the former Southampton defender.
“We are not just looking to sit back and hold on. I don’t want to do that. I think we need to have some intent about us. I don’t think we should hold back and wait for the game to happen. “We need to go out and give it a go and get the balance right between risk and reward.
“Win, lose or draw, we want to finish the game having given a good and positive account of ourselves.”
‘Tough run’
While Exeter’s best run in the competition took it to the quarterfinals as a third-tier side in 1981, Liverpool is a seven-time FA Cup winner.
But the Merseyside giant, which last lifted the trophy in 2006, is likely to be without 10 senior players due to injury.
Defenders Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure and forward Philippe Coutinho are the latest casualties after sustaining hamstring injuries in the victory over Stoke.
Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Henderson, Danny Ings and Joe Gomez are also absent, leaving Liverpool particularly stretched at the back.
Midfielder Adam Lallana dismissed claims Klopp’s hard-running tactics are responsible, but he admits the team’s heavy workload is taking its toll.
“Not every club is in the semifinals of the League Cup, playing in the Europa League and about to get going in the FA Cup on Friday night,” said the England international.
“We’ve also had some massive Premier League fixtures. It’s been a tough run and with the demands on players nowadays there’s bound to be injuries.
“But we’ll all stick together. I’m sure the lads who are out will be working extra hard to get back fit and ready to contribute.”
Klopp upbraided his team after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham United, but it will be looking for a fourth win in five games at Exeter’s 8,541-capacity St. James’ Park ground.
“We needed to get a result after the West Ham game so we just need to continue and take it into the game on Friday as well,” said Jordon Ibe, scorer of the winner at Stoke.