Liverpool aiming to avoid unwanted 72-year FA Cup record in Wolves showdown

Liverpool will be aiming to avoid equalling an unwanted 72-year FA Cup record when they reunite with Wolverhampton Wanderers in Friday's fifth-round tie.

The Reds make a swift return to Molineux just three days after Tuesday's 2-1 Premier League defeat, a particularly demoralising and damaging result for Arne Slot and co.

The reigning top-flight champions suffered more last-minute heartbreak when Andre's strike took a massive deflection off of Joe Gomez and looped over Alisson Becker, leaving Liverpool sixth in the Premier League table and three points off the top four.

Arne Slot's side also set an unwanted Premier League record in that midweek defeat, and the Reds will be at risk of more undesirable history when they return to the West Midlands on Friday.

Liverpool have overcome Barnsley and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield to reach the fifth round, but they have lost their last two FA Cup games on the road, falling to Plymouth Argyle last season and Manchester United the campaign before.

Liverpool at risk of third successive FA Cup defeat away from home

Should the Reds fall short against Wolves yet again on Friday, it will mark the first time in 72 years that Liverpool have lost three successive FA Cup away matches.

The last time that the visitors lost more than two straight FA Cup away games came during the 1950s, when Liverpool suffered four straight tournament losses on the road from 1951 to 1954.

Norwich City, Burnley, South Shields and Bolton Wanderers all conquered Liverpool at home during that four-match sequence, before a 1-1 draw at Lincoln City in 1955 ended that rut for the Reds.

However, fast-forward to 2026, and each of Liverpool's last five FA Cup victories have come at Anfield, and few fans will need reminding of what happened at Home Park against Plymouth last term.

Wolves have only had to face two League Two teams - Shrewsbury Town and Grimsby Town - in this year's tournament, though, and they have been eliminated by a Premier League side in nine of the last 10 campaigns.

What changes could Arne Slot make for Wolves vs. Liverpool?

Slot delivered an unexpectedly positive injury update on Florian Wirtz ahead of Friday's clash, stating that the Germany international could play a few minutes off the bench in the "best-case scenario" following a back injury.

Wirtz has no chance of making the starting lineup for the fifth-round game, though, while Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are still absent through injury.

Slot is not bereft of options for change, though, and Reds fans will no doubt be screaming for Rio Ngumoha to replace Cody Gakpo, after another industrious performance from the teenager off the bench on Tuesday night.

Curtis Jones was culpable for Wolves' winner with a poor backpass, but the Englishman is another candidate to come into the XI, as are Joe Gomez, Andrew Robertson and potentially Federico Chiesa.