Liverpool have seen their hopes of successfully defending their Premier League title go up in smoke during what has been a trying first half of the season, while the Reds also still face [a fight to qualify directly for the last eight of the Champions League this month](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-champions-league-table-points-33031064).
Hopes of winning the Carabao Cup were also ended with [a 3-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace at end of October](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-vs-crystal-palace-live-32775889), but now the Reds begin their FA Cup campaign with a home tie against Barnsley of League One.
A simple victory? Well it should be, but the Yorkshire club arrive unbeaten at Anfield since way back in 1959 when a Billy Liddell brace helped secure a 3-2 win for the Reds nine months before Bill Shankly took over as manager.
Since then there was a goalless League Cup draw in 1982, a 1-0 Barnsley win in 1997 in their one and only season in the Premier League, and then perhaps most pertinently a shock 2-1 victory for the visitors in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2008.
So can Reds achieve a first Anfield win over the Tykes in 67 years tonight? Ian Doyle, Paul Gorst and Theo Squires are all in place for the 7.45pm GMT kick-off.
16:46Mark Jones
Good evening, and welcome to final FA Cup third round tie of the weekend.
Let's do this.