24 hours ago, a major question mark loomed over whether we would be even seeing this game following a major Covid-19 outbreak amid the hosts’ ranks. The match is on – but it will look different even by pandemic standards.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2020-21 FA Cup as Premier League champions Liverpool face off with depleted top-flight rivals Aston Villa in a third-round clash at Villa Park.
Gone are the first-team faces who helped Dean Smith’s side to a seismic 7-2 rout in October – as indeed, is Smith. In fact, with 14 positive cases and likely more to come, it’s effectively an under-23s side led by their coach Mark Delaney.