With the FA Cup second round replay between Conference National sides Mansfield Town and Lincoln City won 2-1 by hosts Mansfield, Liverpool's opponent has now been settled as they prepare to enter the competition.
"It is what dreams are made of," said Mansfield manager Paul Cox following the match which saw his side capture advancement 13 minutes from time. "The support we got from the crowd and the way the players played was amazing and to get Liverpool is a dream for the club."
Mansfield, who currently sit eighth in the fifth tier of English football, earn a £200,000 payday by making it through to the third round—when clubs from the Premier League and Championship join the competition. They will also see their stadium, with a capacity of just over 7,500, become the focus of one of the three matches of the round televised by ESPN in the UK. In total, five of the 32 third round matches will be televised.
Kickoff is slated for 4PM (GMT) from Field Mill on January 6th, and with FA Cup regulations stipulating that 15% of tickets be allocated to away support, the traveling Kop that joins Liverpool on their journey to the East Midlands will be an unusually tiny one.
Liverpool have faced Mansfield twice in the club's history, with a 1970 meeting in the League Cup going to replay before being won by Liverpool. If Mansfield were to force a replay this time around, the nearly 7,000 tickets allocated would mean Anfield could hold more Mansfield supporters than will be able to see their side face Liverpool in person on January 6.