You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

There’s a sense of deja vu as Liverpool prepare to get their FA Cup campaign underway.

Injuries have depleted Jurgen Klopp’s squad, a host of first-team regulars are in need of a breather after the rigours of festive Premier League duty and there’s League Two opposition from Devon dreaming of pulling off a giant-killing act.

Where last January it was a third-round tie with Exeter City which needed to be negotiated, this time around it’s their arch rivals Plymouth Argyle who lie in wait.

Excitement has been building on the south coast since they edged past Newport County in a second round replay just before Christmas. Derek Adams’ promotion-chasing side will be roared on by a 8,500-strong travelling army at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

It will be the first competitive meeting between the clubs for 55 years. They last faced each other in the Second Division in April 1962 when goals from Alan A’Court, Ian St John and Roger Hunt secured a 3-2 win for the Reds. Bill Shankly’s men had already clinched promotion back to the top-flight and were applauded on to the field by the Pilgrims.

Since then the only time the two clubs crossed paths was in 1975 when Liverpool headed for Home Park to take part in John Hore’s testimonial.

Plymouth is the biggest city in England never to have hosted top-flight football with Argyle having bobbed between the second, third and fourth tiers. They reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1984 but hopes of glory were dashed by Watford.

Around the turn of the century they were dogged by financial problems and in serious danger of dropping out of the Football League, but Paul Sturrock dragged them to safety before leading them to the League Two title.

When Sturrock left for Southampton in 2004 Plymouth were on the cusp of another promotion and it was left to Bobby Williamson to complete their rise to the Championship. Tony Pulis and Ian Holloway helped keep them there before they were relegated back to the second tier in 2010.

Peter Reid took over as boss but was forced to sell star men Bradley Wright-Phillips and Craig Noone in a desperate bid to generate funds. It couldn’t save them from entering administration and being docked 10 points as they went down again.

A takeover by businessman James Brent rescued the club in 2011 when they were bottom of the Football League and since then they have been on an upward curve.

Former Ross County boss Adams led them to the League Two play-off final last term where they lost 2-0 to AFC Wimbledon at Wembley. This season they are once again promotion contenders - sitting second in the table and only a point behind leaders Doncaster.

Plymouth, who have kept five clean sheets in their last seven matches, have signed former Liverpool Reserves defender Jakub Sokolik and striker Nathan Blissett this week but neither are eligible to play at Anfield this weekend as they are cup-tied.

One man who will feature is their 10-goal top scorer Graham Carey, whose penalty sealed their trip to Anfield. The Irish midfielder is a lifelong Reds fan.

“We’re going to go there and try and get a result,” he said.

“No-one will give us a shot, but we’ve showed we can battle as a team and it’s the FA Cup so you never know.”

Just as he did against Exeter 12 months ago, Klopp is expected to field a shadow line up. Joel Matip and Philippe Coutinho aren’t yet ready to return, while Jordan Henderson (heel), James Milner (calf) and Daniel Sturridge (ankle) are continuing to have treatment.

Joe Gomez could make his long-awaited return to first-team action - 15 months after he last featured for the Reds against FC Sion. The gifted Liverpool defender has been building up his fitness with Liverpool Under-23s after a year out with ACL and Achilles injuries.

Loris Karius, Alberto Moreno, Lucas Leiva, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kevin Stewart, Ovie Ejaria, Ben Woodburn and Sheyi Ojo are also in contention.

Liverpool haven’t lost to a team at least three divisions below them in the FA Cup since their infamous defeat to non-league Worcester City in 1959.

However, they have succumbed to lower league opposition six times since the turn of the century in Blackburn (2000), Crystal Palace (2003), Burnley (2005), Barnsley (2008), Reading (2010) and Oldham (2013).

For Klopp, it’s about getting the balance right between giving his regulars a breather and ensuring Liverpool still have sufficient experience and a strong enough line up to get the job done. The last thing the German will want added to a packed January schedule is a replay at Home Park.

The frustration of Liverpool’s error-strewn draw at Sunderland was eased somewhat by the sight of Tottenham ending Chelsea’s 13-game winning streak on Wednesday night. That manageable five-point gap means the Reds’ Premier League title dream is well and truly alive.

Now Klopp will turn to those on the fringes of his squad to ensure that the Pilgrims are sent packing and that momentum is maintained.