Muddy pitches and flat-caps - when Paul Tisdale met Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

Paul Tisdale and Jurgen Klopp - without a flat-cap!

Dons and Liverpool meet for the first time on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup at Stadium MK, with an expected 29,000 in attendance, but Tisdale knows what to expect when Liverpool roll into town.

Drawn against the Grecians in the FA Cup in 2016, Klopp was just three months into his tenure at Anfield when he arrived at St Jame's Park when he was presented with a gift from the then Exeter boss.

Tisdale recalls: "I gave him a present last time actually – I gave him a flat cap as a gesture of welcome to Exeter. He didn't put it on and I'd be amazed if he turned up with it on!

Paul Tisdale admits he didn't see the Liverpool manager put the flat-cap on

"We met in an FA Cup game, live on TV and it's quite an event. We drew 2-2 with them, should have won. Our best player was a wet muddy pitch and we won't have that here. But we had a similar attitude, we gave it a really good go and we could have won it with a bit of luck."

And he expects a bit of luck will be required for his team to come away with a result on Wednesday, saying the pressure is entirely off the shoulders of his players, with the orders to go and enjoy themselves against whatever team Klopp decides should be given a run-out at Stadium MK.

He said: "I'm sure he's viewing it differently to the way I'm viewing it. He has different types of pressures, it's a different game for us.

"I don't feel able to predict the Liverpool team. I don't think we can dig into our usual preparations, so it will come down to some simple preparation discussion and details, and ask the players to play beyond their normal game but asking 'what is there to worry about?' We need to enjoy it. As a manager, you tell them to have no regrets. Don't be nervous, or worried about making a mistake."