Flynn pinning his hopes on Klopp tie

MICHAEL Flynn wants to see ball number 21 come out of the hat alongside Newport County in tonight’s FA Cup third-round draw.

That would set up a dream game for the self-confessed Liverpool fan and mean Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League champions would have to travel to Rodney Parade in the new year.

The draw, which Newport find themselves in for a fourth successive season after their comfortable 3-0 home win over Salford City, is due at around 7.10pm.

Up for grabs for the winners in the next round is a cheque for £82,000.

Newport have already banked more than £42,000 for their wins in the opening two rounds, but a home clash with one of the Premier League titans would bring the ultimate financial prize of a live TV game.

Cash is still king for clubs below the top flight, especially with fans still excluded due to Covid restrictions, which is why Flynn’s cup expertise so been so vital to Newport’s coffers down the years.

“I’d love to get Liverpool at home in the next round, but we’ll have to wait and see how the draw goes,” said Flynn, who has already managed against Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Manchester City in recent seasons in the FA Cup.

“I’d love that, the players would love that and if we could get some fans back in the ground for it, they would as well. Then we could move on.

“Money is important every season. When we played Leeds and Tottenham that cleared debt at the club and we are in a better position now due to our cup runs. It is a proud thing for us that we have been able to provide the club with a lifeline through our cup runs.”

The League Two leaders made the most of the sending off of Salford’s Brandon Thomas-Asante a minute into the second half and went on to plunder three goals against 10 men. Jamie Proctor headed home the first, Padraig Amond hit the net from the penalty spot and Saikou Janneh rounded things off in added time.

“I thought we were by far the better team and it should have been 7-0,” added Flynn. “We were ruthless when they went down to 10 men and Tom King didn’t have a save to make even when they had 11.”