BARNSLEY have been handed a third round tie away at Premier League champions Liverpool in the FA Cup.
The match is due to take place on the weekend of January 9-12, with Sunday or Monday evening thought to be most likely as Liverpool face Arsenal in the league on Thursday the eighth.
The draw will evoke memories of the magnificent run to the 2008 semi-finals when the Reds won 2-1 at Anfield thanks to goals by Stephen Foster and Brian Howard.
They also won their previous game there in the Premiership in 1998 with Ashley Ward getting the only goal.
Including a 0-0 draw in the League Cup in 1982, the Reds have not lost in their last three trips to Anfield since 1959.
Liverpool won the Premier League last season then spent almost half a billion pounds in the summer transfer window, including breaking the British club record transfer fee twice for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, who both cost more than £100million.
But they have struggled so far this season and are currently tenth.
Head coach Conor Hourihane told the Chronicle: “It’s brilliant for the club and for everyone.
“It’s really exciting, no doubt we’ll have so many Barnsley fans there and it’s one everyone can look forward to in the new year.
“You win through to the third round and you want to get the big tie and luckily we’re one of the teams to get one so it’s really exciting.”
Barnsley midfielders Adam Phillips and Vimal Yoganathan both came through the Liverpool academy.
Liverpool have won the FA Cup eight times but lost to Championship relegation side Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round last year.
The Reds beat York City at home and Peterborough United away to reach the last 64.
The clubs have met 23 times, mostly around the turn of the 20th century and the late 1950s.
Barnsley have won five, drawing four and losing 14.
