Liverpool host Barnsley on Monday night in the final game of a fascinating round of FA Cup third-round fixtures. It’s the first meeting between the two teams since they met in the same competition in 2008, and for Arne Slot’s side, a chance to rest key players as they head into the game as short 1/6 favourites.
For Barnsley, it’s a reprieve from a pretty miserable run in League One that’s seen them pick up just one win in their last six. After a promising start to the season, Conor Hourihane’s side are edging perilously close to the relegation zone, so they’ll be hopeful, if nothing else, of a good performance to get their season back on track.
Liverpool vs Barnsley Bet Builder Tips
We’ve compared each bet across the best betting sites and found that BetMGM offers the biggest odds of 17/2. That means a £10 bet returns a healthy £95. Not too shabby.
| Market | Bet | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Half-Time/Full-Time | Liverpool – Liverpool | 1/2 |
| Player Shots on Target | Federico Chiesa 2+ | 2/1 |
| Player Shots on Target | Rio Ngumoha 1+ | 4/6 |
| Player Fouls | Luca Connell 1+ | 1/6 |
| Total Odds | 17/2 |
*Odds correct at 11:00 GMT on 11/1/2026. Odds subject to change.
Bet 1: Liverpool to Lead at Half-Time and Full-Time
It’s tough to look at this game and see anything other than a Liverpool win on Monday night. They might not be playing the free-flowing, expansive football that led them to their second Premier League title last season, but they’re starting to get a bit more organised and are unbeaten in their last 10 in all competitions.
Arne Slot will likely rest a number of key players, but the squad is strong enough to handle a Barnsley team on the slide. If things were to go south, they’d have plenty of firepower on the bench to get them out of a pickle, although they probably won’t be needed.
There’s not much value in taking 1/6 for a Liverpool win, but we quite like 1/2 for them to be leading at half-time and full-time. The Reds have covered this market 15 times already this season, and it’s a good alternative to the 1×2 for Monday’s game.
Bet 2: Federico Chiesa 2+ Shots on Target
Federico Chiesa is turning into a bit of a cult hero on Merseyside. The Italian was a curious signing from Juventus in the summer of 2024 and has struggled to nail down a regular starting place in the team.
His energy is infectious, and given that he’s started just one Premier League game this season, Slot will be looking to get him some minutes under his belt in the cup.
When he has come on, his attacking metrics are superb, averaging 4.50 shots per 90 (the most of any Liverpool player this season) and 0.74 shots on target per 90. Odds of 2/1 to get two on target against a team that should concede a ton of chances is a price we are snapping up.
Bet 3: Rio Ngumoha 1+ Shots on Target
At just 17, Rio Ngumoha is one of the brightest talents in the league. He’s quick, an exceptional dribbler, agile and is likely going to make that left wing role his own once he progresses in his development.
These types of games are made for him, and given that each of his two starts this season have come in the EFL Cup, he should have the chance to impress from the start on Monday.
Like Chiesa, when he’s played, his attacking metrics are good, with 1.73 shots on target per 90, the highest of any Liverpool player this season. Granted, it’s a small sample size, making just 229 minutes across all competitions, but when you watch the boy play, there’s no doubt he’s got an eye for goal.
Bet 4: Luca Connell 1+ Player Fouls
It’s got the potential to be a long night for Barnsley, and they are going to have to fight tooth and nail to progress to the next round. They are, of course, more than capable of doing so, but they must be on the front foot and aggressive from minute one.
We’ve picked out their hard-hitting central midfielder, Luca Connell, in the player fouls market as the final pick of our Liverpool vs Barnsley bet builder. The Irishman has averaged 1.57 fouls per 90 this season, and this number could increase after Monday’s game.
His seven bookings mean that only two players in League One have more, and while we were tempted to head down the booking market again, taking 1+ player fouls is a much safer bet and provides a decent boost as the final part of our bet.
