Liverpool vs Barnsley prediction 12.01.2026 | FA Cup
Liverpool
Kick off:
Date:
Barnsley
1
1.14
X
9.00
2
15.00
Contents
- Competition: FA Cup, 1/32 Finals
- Date: Monday, 12th January, 2026
- Kickoff: 19:45 UK / 20:45 CET
- Venue: Anfield (Liverpool)
On Monday evening, last season's Premier League champions Liverpool will host League One side Barnsley in the FA Cup 1/32 Finals. The Reds will be aiming to return to winning ways after three consecutive draws, while Barnsley will look to cause an upset despite collecting just one point from their last four matches.
Let's break down the game and find the best possible bet for the duel in the oldest football competition in the World.
Liverpool vs Barnsley Head to Head (H2H) stats
-
Liverpool
1 : 2
Barnsley
FA Cup
The two teams last met in 2008 in the FA Cup 1/8 Finals, when Barnsley pulled off a famous 2:1 victory. That result is widely regarded as the greatest win in Barnsley's history, as they eliminated the five-time European champions. In total, these teams met three times, and surprisingly, Barnsley were a better team, winning twice, while Liverpool secured one victory.
Regarding the number of goals, two out of three games ended with three or more goals, averaging 3.0 goals per game. Also, both teams scored in two out of three h2h games.
Liverpool team overview
After winning the Premier League title last season, everyone expected Liverpool to continue with excellent results. Unfortunately, the Reds opened the season terribly, even dropping to 12th place after 12 rounds! Everyone anticipated that Arne Slot could soon lose his job, but since then, they have gone on a nine-game Premier League unbeaten run and climbed to fourth place with 35 points - 14 points away from the top spot. To be fair, the Reds did well in the Champions League, securing the next phase. Considering they are eliminated from the EFL Cup and are too far from the top spot in the PL, their best chance to win the title this season is through the FA Cup and the Champions League.
For the upcoming FA Cup game, coach Slot will be without Mohamed Salah, who is still with his NT at AFCON. Also, the players who missed the previous games with injuries should remain sidelined - Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Wataru Endo, and Conor Bradley.
Last matches of Liverpool
-
Arsenal
0 : 0
Liverpool
Premier League
-
Fulham
2 : 2
Liverpool
Premier League
-
Liverpool
0 : 0
Leeds United
Premier League
-
Liverpool
2 : 1
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League
-
Tottenham Hotspur
1 : 2
Liverpool
Premier League
Liverpool lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Alisson
Defenders
-
30
Jeremie Frimpong
-
5
Ibrahima Konaté
-
4
Virgil van Dijk
-
6
Milos Kerkez
Midfielders
-
38
Ryan Gravenberch
-
8
Dominik Szoboszlai
-
10
Alexis Mac Allister
Forwards
-
14
Federico Chiesa
-
7
Florian Wirtz
-
18
Cody Gakpo
Barnsley team overview
Barnsley are playing their fourth League One season, during which their results have steadily declined, finishing 4th, 6th, and 12th. This season, their results are even worse, considering they are sitting in 17th place with 29 points from 21 matches - just two points away from the danger zone. To be fair, they played three or four games fewer than most teams, and they could easily move closer to the middle of the table, but they will have to start playing better, as they are on a terrible mini-run, having won just one point in four games.
After a 1:1 draw with Wigan, coach Conor Hourihane spoke to the media. He said they were absolutely awful in the first half and that he went ballistic during the half-time break. Even though the coach was unhappy with the team's performance, he was encouraged by the second-half effort.
Last matches of Barnsley
-
Wigan Athletic
1 : 1
Barnsley
League One
-
Barnsley
0 : 2
Lincoln City F.C
League One
-
Barnsley
2 : 3
Mansfield Town
League One
-
Exeter City
3 : 0
Barnsley
League One
-
Barnsley
3 : 2
Leyton Orient
League One
Barnsley lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Murphy Cooper
Defenders
-
27
Tennai Watson
-
6
Maël de Gevigney
-
5
Jack Shepherd
-
32
Josh Earl
Midfielders
-
48
Luca Connell
-
22
Patrick Kelly
-
8
Adam Phillips
Forwards
-
11
Fábio Jaló
-
40
Davis Keillor-Dunn
-
10
David McGoldrick
Prediction
Liverpool are undoubtedly a much better team, but we wouldn't be too surprised if they struggle to score since they have several important forwards out - Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Mohamed Salah. Still, even with those absences, they will most likely score.
However, we are convinced Barnsley can't score against Liverpool, which have kept a clean sheet in four of its last seven games. Those clean sheets came against much better teams than Barnsley - Arsenal, Leeds, Brighton, and Inter. Additionally, Barnsley struggled in the last four League One games, earning just one point and failing to score in two of them.
Considering all the above, we believe BTTS - NO bet is the safest option for this FA Cup tie.
3 Reasons why at least one team will fail to score
- Liverpool kept a clean sheet in four of the last seven games
- Liverpool will miss their three key offensive players - Salah, Isak, and Ekitike
- Barnsley failed to score in two of the last four games
Main prediction Liverpool - Barnsley
Both Teams to Score - NO
Best Odds:
1xBet
1.90
