When Liverpool face Barnsley tonight, one player has to be on the pitch for Arne Slot.
The third round of the FA Cup has not disappointed.
There have been some shocking upsets, most notably sixth-tier Macclesfield knocking Crystal Palace out in their first game in the competition since winning the trophy back in May.
mail iconJoin our newsletter for news & smart analysis.
It’s markedly worse than when Liverpool were knocked out by Plymouth last season, and it just goes to show how unpredictable the FA Cup can be.
A rotated Liverpool XI đź‘€
Is there enough quality here to avoid a repeat of last season?
predicted liverpool xi vs barnsley
Liverpool vs Barnsley
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Slot will field a rotated Liverpool XI, but claimed he would not fill the bench with fringe players like he did last season.
Regardless one player has to return to the starting lineup after being benched against Arsenal.
Arne Slot has to start Curtis Jones against Barnsley
Curtis Jones didn’t see the pitch at the Emirates last weekend, having started in each of Liverpool’s last seven fixtures.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
It was the first stretch in this season that saw Jones start more than two games in a row. It also coincides with an uptick in form from the Reds, which he doesn’t get enough credit for.
Slot made no substitutions against Arsenal, so all three midfielders above him in the pecking order played the full 90. Jones has been excellent for Liverpool lately and is fresh and ready — there’s no real justification for leaving him on the bench.
Curtis Jones of Liverpool Fc celebrates at the end of the
Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images
After being in and out of the lineup all season, the 24-year-old has earned a spot competing with the other starting midfielders, some of whom have struggled.
Slot has to play him, let him pull the strings and hopefully deliver another assured performance. To not start Jones would be a kick in the teeth after finally playing his way into regular minutes.
There will be youngsters in the lineup for Liverpool
Jones has to be in a midfield three, but there also has to be some leaning toward youth.
Slot has discussed Rio Ngumoha and some concerns he has about overtraining young players, but you’ll rarely get a better chance to develop the youth in the squad — something the Liverpool hierarchy have requested themselves.
It would be nice to see players like Calvin Ramsay, Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni getting minutes in their legs for a long season ahead.
Where should Calvin Ramsay now rank in Liverpool’s right-back options?
Conor Bradley won't play again this term…
Calvin Ramsay warms up ahead of Liverpool's Carabao Cup match against Crystal Palace at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Dan Istitene).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Dan Istitene
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Liverpool must be cautious in how they approach the game. We have seen the evidence of this in the last couple of days of tournament action. Be that as it may, Slot needs to know he can rely on players on the outer edges of the squad to put in a shift in difficult stretches of the season in which we are fighting on all fronts and injuries happen.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox