Liverpool and Tottenham both have home FA Cup fixtures this weekend.
It’s 29 years since Mark Lawrenson won the only FA Cup medal of his career, helping Liverpool to a win over rivals Everton in 1985/86.
But the former defender believes the Reds will not have a straightforward task this weekend, telling the BBC he foresees a draw.
That’s despite Liverpool having a home tie against Championship club Bolton Wanderers, and coming off a superb display against Chelsea in midweek.
Lawrenson believes that this cup game being sandwiched between the Capital One Cup semi-finals against Chelsea, will affect the club’s team selection negatively and allow Neil Lennon’s in-form side a chance.
He said: “With the second leg of that semi-final to come on Tuesday, do they play Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard in this tie?
“I am not sure they should and I think Bolton will fancy their chances of getting a positive result.”
He predicted the result to finish 1-1, but said he expect Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool to go on and win the replay at the Reebok Stadium.
They are not the only Premier League big gun he expects to fail to get a result, also pointing at Tottenham Hotspur, citing once again the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
Spurs host Leicester City, who sit bottom of the Premier League, but Lawrenson feels the Foxes will manage to get a result at White Hart Lane.
Lawrenson said: “Like Sheffield United, Tottenham are in the middle of a two-legged League Cup semi-final which is still in the balance. This is a hard game to call, and because it will be the last thing both sides want, I am going to go for a draw.”
He went onto predict Leicester would knock Spurs out in the ensuing replay.
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