TEAM NEWS

Exeter midfielder David Wheeler is unlikely to have recovered from an ankle injury in time to face Liverpool.

Right-back Christian Ribeiro and midfielder David Noble could start their first games since November after returning from injury as substitutes.

Liverpool are without a senior centre-back after Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure were ruled out through injury.

Philippe Coutinho is also out as Liverpool go into the match with 11 senior players in the treatment room.

Manager Jurgen Klopp could hand Ryan Kent, Sheyi Ojo and Tiago Ilori their debuts after they were recalled from loan spells.

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale: "It's a compromise between how much you risk, but what we don't want to do is just go into the game to defend.

"We are not just looking to sit back and hold on. I don't want to do that.

"I think we need to have some intent about us. I don't think we should hold back and wait for the game to happen."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "The team that will play will want to win this game for sure, with 100%, with everything they have.

"But it will be a team which maybe has not played too much together that's the truth.

"If it's a chance for Exeter then they have to take it. That's football. We only go there to win the game, to go to the next round."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The last meeting between these sides was in the League Cup in 2011 - Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool won 3-1 at St James Park.
• All five meetings have come in cup competitions and Liverpool have a 100% record in those matches, scoring 19 times, while Exeter have only found the net twice.
• They have met once before in the FA Cup in 1950 - Liverpool won the fourth-round clash 3-1 and went on to reach the final.

Exeter City

• The last time Exeter reached the third round they earned a goalless draw at Old Trafford in 2005 as a non-league club, before losing the replay 2-0 to Manchester United at St James Park.
• Their second-round win over Port Vale was just their fourth victory in the FA Cup under Paul Tisdale - they had been eliminated in the first round in each of the previous five seasons.
• The Grecians have lost four matches in a row since their FA Cup second round victory, conceding 10 goals and scoring just three.
• They have gone six matches without a league win at home (D3, L3).

Liverpool

• Liverpool are unbeaten in 10 games in cup competitions this season in the League Cup and Europa League (W5, D5).
• This will be Liverpool's fourth successive match away from home (W2, L1).
• It is 10 years since Liverpool last lifted the FA Cup - they won it for the seventh time after beating West Ham on penalties in 2006.
• The Reds are away to a League Two side in the third round for the second successive season - they beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1 last year with Steven Gerrard scoring twice.
• The last time they were beaten by lower-league opposition in the FA Cup was against League One Oldham in the fourth round in 2013.