(Liverpool – Norwich 5-2) Liverpool had few problems progressing in the FA Cup. Defending champion Manchester City travels to Luton at the end of February.
In Liverpool's first match following the shock news that manager Jurgen Klopp will step down at the end of the season, his pupils shone at times at Anfield.
Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, captain Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenbrech scored the winning goal over Norwich 5-2.
– It was a perfect match. “We scored a bunch of goals and had no injuries,” top scorer Jones tells ITV.
– It was a happy day because we had two players returning from injury. Captain Virgil van Dijk follows it on the BBC.
Back pairing Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench. The first had been out injured since October of last year.
See the highlights at the top of the box!
Klopp's men face either Watford or Southampton in the fifth round. They have to play a rematch after drawing 1-1 earlier on Sunday.
Liverpool last won the FA Cup in 2022.
How to play the fifth round in the FA Cup:
- Blackburn/Wrexham – Newcastle
- Chelsea / Aston Villa – Leeds / Plymouth
- Bournemouth – Leicester City
- Liverpool – Watford/Southampton
- Bristol City/Nottingham Forest – Newport County/Manchester United
- Wolverhampton – Brighton
- Sheffield Wednesday / Coventry – Maidstone
- Luton – Manchester City
Not all teams are ready for the fifth round yet, so there are several teams in the same match.
Manchester City, the holder of the “Treble” title, travels to Luton in the next round. Sixth tier Maidstone will face either Coventry or Sheffield Wednesday on foreign turf.
The fifth round will be held in the middle of the last week of February.
At Anfield, 19-year-old James McConnell impressed early against Norwich. In his first match with the team from the start, he was behind Liverpool's first goal.
The midfielder sent a brilliant cross in at the back post and it was found by Curtis Jones, who put the home team ahead before the quarter was over.
Norwich then shocked Norwich to equalize through Ben Gibson with his first chance of the game after seven minutes.
After 27 minutes, Liverpool full-back Connor Bradley passed the ball to his teammate Darwin Nunez outside the penalty area, who took the ball inside the penalty area and put the home team back in front.
Diogo Jota then made it 3-1 in the second half, before substitute and captain Virgil van Dijk headed home the hosts in the fourth period from a corner kick.
Norwich substitute Borja Sainz scored the dream goal and reduced the deficit after just five minutes, but was unable to restore the lead.
Instead, Ryan Gravenberch finished off a beautiful Liverpool move in stoppage time to make it 5-2.
Earlier this week, Liverpool qualified for the League Cup final after defeating Fulham 3-2 on aggregate.
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