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Slot wary of Accrington's 'Champions League final' at Anfield / Photo: © AFP
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Slot wary of Accrington's 'Champions League final' at Anfield
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Accrington Stanley's trip to Anfield in the FA Cup third round on Saturday will be the League Two side's "Champions League final".
The clubs are 86 league positions apart in the 92-team pyramid with Slot's men leading the Premier League, while Stanley sit just outside the relegation zone in the fourth tier.
"I think every team that plays against us it is a special occasion, but especially for a lower league team. They will be all up for it, they have looked forward to this game for many weeks," said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"If you go to a Champions League final everyone is completely hyped up and ready and, tomorrow, for them that will feel like it is the Champions League final, so we have to be aware of that."
Despite that warning, the Dutchman is likely to take the opportunity to rotate his side during a hectic spell of fixtures in four competitions.
That could open the door for Federico Chiesa to make just his second start for the Reds since joining from Juventus in August.
The Italian international forward's career has been injury-ravaged and the 27-year-old has struggled for fitness in the early months of his time in England.
But Slot said his fleeting appearances so far also have much to do with the form of Mohamed Salah and the rest of his forward line.
"It's not only been difficult for him in terms of match fitness, it's also that he has to compete with the likes of Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah," added Slot.
"Everybody here knows the numbers Mo Salah brings in. There's not many times a reason to take him out during a game or before a game.
"It's a combination of reasons why he didn't play that much yet but let's wait and see in the upcoming weeks and months if he's able to help us because the second half of the season is even more important than the first."
Dominik Szoboszlai is available after missing the last two games with illness, while Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott are others likely to be handed a rare start.
K. Petersen--BTZ
