FA Cup giantkillers Blackpool and Chorley have their sights set on Liverpool

FA Cup minnows Blackpool and Chorley both fancy a crack at Premier League champions Liverpool in round 4 of the FA Cup.

Blackpool earned their place in Monday night's draw with a penalty shootout win over another top flight team, West Brom, at Bloomfield Road.

Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell, in his first game back following a positive test for coronavirus, saved from Kyle Edwards, Darnell Furlong and Matheus Pereira in the shoot-out to put the "awful" experience of being laid up with Covid-19 behind him before leading the celebrations on the pitch.

It was a day to savour for a side that have won only one of their last five in the league, having blown hot and cold before the turn of the year, and manager Neil Critchley is keen to build on the result.

"This should give us some confidence," he said. "It shows what we're capable of, and why we get angry and frustrated when we don't produce these levels in certain games.

"We've got to find that consistency which is what we're striving for. It won't always be like this and the style of game was different to some games in our division but it's up to us to find a way to play better."

Critchley, who left his post as Liverpool under-23 coach to take over at Blackpool last March, said he had no preferences for Monday's draw, though there would always be one team on his mind.

"Honestly I don't mind," he said. "We can wait for the draw and be really excited. A home draw would be nice but we're just delighted to be in the hat for the next round. Liverpool sounds nice, doesn't it?" 

Chorley manager Jamie Vermiglio is also dreaming of Anfield after his part-time side claimed an unlikely place in the last 32 of the cup.

The National League North side took advantage of extraordinary circumstances to sink Championship Derby 2-0 and reach the fourth round for the first time in their 138-year history.

Four divisions had separated the clubs when the draw was made but a Covid-19 outbreak at the Rams dramatically tipped the tie in favour of the experienced part-timers from Lancashire.

With manager Wayne Rooney and his entire first-team squad forced into self-isolation, Derby needed to draw on their youth squads simply to fulfil the fixture at Victory Park.

When asked who he wants next, lifelong Liverpool fan Vermiglio was in no doubt.

"If you can organise it, I'd like Liverpool away," said Vermiglio, who has had quite a week as he combines his role as manager with his day job as a headteacher at a primary school in Warrington.

"I'm ecstatic. It's a really proud moment for me and the club. It's unreal, just amazing."