Liverpool's preparations for the upcoming FA Cup third round tie against Accrington Stanley have been disrupted due to the wintery weather affecting north west England. The Reds, who were in action in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, faced unexpected travel chaos that led to a change in their training schedule.
The team had hoped for a quick flight back home after their match in north London. The plan was for players and staff to arrive home that night, avoiding an overnight stay in the capital or a long road trip that would see them dropped off at home during the early hours of Thursday.
However, unsafe landing conditions at John Lennon Airport in Liverpool due to snowy weather forced their flight to be diverted to Birmingham. This resulted in ground transfer back to Merseyside and delayed arrival time into the early hours of Thursday.
Impact on training schedule
According to The Times, this travel disruption led Liverpool management team led by Arne Slot, deciding to cancel Thursday's planned training session which was primarily expected as a warm-down session. Despite these setbacks, Slot’s team is set on resuming preparations on Friday with hopes of no lasting effect from this disruption.
Accrington Stanley has also faced challenges due to weather conditions this week. They were forced temporarily abandon their training ground and host sessions at an indoor facility instead.
Despite these disruptions, Accrington has shown promising league form since 2025 began with two wins propelling them up 19th place standings. Their journey so far includes victories over sixth tier Rushall Olympic and fellow League Two side Swindon Town leading up-to-the FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool.
The FA Cup tie
Slot fielded mostly full-strength lineup against Tottenham, which made the 1-0 defeat for the Premier League leaders somewhat surprising given their contrasting Premier League form this season. However, Slot is expected to heavily rotate his squad for the FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley.
Both teams have faced disruptions in their preparations due to adverse weather conditions. However, they remain focused on their upcoming FA Cup tie and will be looking to make a strong impact despite these challenges.
