Despite Jurgen Klopp sitting the game out and Liverpool fielding a team consisting mainly of youth players, the Reds progressed to the next round of the FA Cup on Tuesday, and in the process set three new club records.
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With Klopp taking a stand against the Football Association's scheduling of Liverpool's FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town, a fixture that fell within the Premier League's newly-introduced winter break, the Reds took to the field on Tuesday with U23s boss Neil Critchley in the dugout.
The reigning European champions were nearly unrecognisable in their starting XI, which consisted predominantly of players from the club's U23, U21 and U19 sides, with not a single senior player named in the matchday squad.
With 22-year-old Pedro Chirivella starring as the oldest player on the pitch, and 16-year-old Harvey Elliott the youngest, Liverpool fielded their youngest-ever team with an average age of 19 years and 102 days, breaking the record that had been set earlier in the season against Aston Villa by 80 days.
Among those named in the starting line-up were three debutants in Adam Lewis, Jake Cain and Liam Millar, the latter of whom became the first-ever Canadian player to represent the club. Elijah Dixon-Bonner and new signing Joe Hardy both also came on to make their first senior appearances.
Liverpool-born youngster Curtis Jones, who scored in each of the club's previous two FA Cup ties, was handed the armband for the clash against The Shrews, and in the process became the Reds' youngest-ever captain, breaking a record that had stood for nearly 120 years.
Read: Liverpool Youngsters Keep FA Cup Journey Going
The Merseysiders ultimately ran out 1-0 winners courtesy of an own goal from Ro-Shaun Williams, extending their unbeaten run at Anfield to 40 matches across all competitions, and will face Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on 3 March.
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