Minnow Exeter plotting ambush of Liverpool

Liverpool is one step away from Wembley in the League Cup, but has been promised a testing start to its FA Cup campaign by underdog Exeter City.

A 1-0 victory at Stoke City in the first leg of its League Cup semifinal on Tuesday has put Juergen Klopp's side in a strong position to reach the final at the end of February.

It is also odds-on to overcome fourth-tier Exeter in Friday's FA Cup third-round tie, but Exeter's manager, Paul Tisdale, said a run of four straight defeats does not reflect how his team has been playing.