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Liverpool will have to beat Bolton first, with the two clubs set for a replay on February 4th at 7:45PM, for it to matter, but if they do they now know that they’ll be facing Crystal Palace in the fifth round of the FA Cup. It means avoiding any of the remaining heavy hitters like Arsenal or, if they beat Cambridge in their replay, Manchester United.
With a number of lower league sides still in the competition, it’s far from the easiest draw that was on the table. Still, it’s a match Liverpool will be favoured to advance from—if they advance from the fourth round. If they do, they will travel to Selhurst Park to face Alan Pardew’s side on the weekend of Saturday, February 14th, following a mid-week match against Tottenham and ahead of the first leg of their round of 32 tie with Besiktas in the Europa League.
It isn’t guaranteed Liverpool’s match will be broadcast, as only five of the eight games will be produced for television. Though the remaining matches will be recorded in order to produce highlight packages, they will only employ limited camera angles. Only the five matches selected for coverage by BT Sport and the BBC will be made available for broadcast. With few other big draws left in the FA Cup, though, it seems likely the game will be shown.
Liverpool’s last FA Cup match against Crystal Palace was in 2003, when they drew on the road in the fourth round before losing by two goals in the replay at Anfield. Elsewhere in today’s draw, Arsenal drew Middlesbrough and Manchester United, if they advance, will travel to face the winner of Preston North End and Sheffield United.
