FA Cup: Mansfield v Liverpool match preview

Alook ahead to this weekend's FA Cup fixture at Field Mill

2012 FA Cup finalists Liverpool head to non-league Mansfield, in only their third ever meeting, looking to avoid a shock exit in the early stages of this season's competition. Two consecutive 3-0 victories have lifted Brendan Rodgers' side to eighth in the Premier League, but a successful cup run, as shown last season, would secure European qualification regardless of where they finish.

Mansfield's previous encounters with the Merseysiders came in the third round of the 1970 League Cup, eventually losing in extra time of the replay at Anfield. Regardless of the outcome, it will be a particularly memorable weekend for manager Paul Cox, who got married on Friday at the club's training ground and turns 42 years old on Sunday.

England striker Daniel Sturridge is likely to make his Liverpool debut, having joined the club in midweek, with another former Chelsea player, Joe Cole, departing to QPR soon after. José Enrique tore his hamstring in the club's victory over QPR last weekend, so will be absent, alongside Martin Kelly and Fabio Borini.

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 4pm

PAST MEETINGS…

Liverpool 3 (Hughes, Smith, Evans) Mansfield 2 (Stenson, Sutton), League Cup, September 1970

Mansfield 0 Liverpool 0, League Cup, September 1970

STATS...

Both teams come into the game on the back of 3-0 wins. Mansfield triumphed away to Alfreton Town on New Year's Day, with Liverpool beating Sunderland a day later.

Steven Gerrard has eight Premier League assists to his name this season, just one fewer than his person record in the 2008-09 campaign (nine).

Liverpool's most recent game against non-league opposition was a 5-2 victory over Havant and Waterlooville. The Blue Square South team went ahead twice in the opening half an hour at Anfield.

Both Liverpool and Mansfield have won three of their past five games; the former with two losses, and the latter with one loss and one draw.

In their current league campaign, Liverpool have not won a match in which they have conceded first, recording four losses and three draws.

ODDS...

Mansfield to win: 15

Liverpool to win: 1.26

Draw: 6.6

TV: Live on ESPN at 4pm, highlights on ITV1 at 10:45pm