Liverpool Cruise Into FA Cup Fifth Round | Liverpool 3-0 Brighton
Anfield was rocking tonight as Liverpool delivered a professional and dominant performance to sweep aside Brighton & Hove Albion with a 3-0 victory, securing their place in the FA Cup fifth round. Arne Slot’s men showed no signs of fatigue, controlling the tempo from the first whistle to the last.
Match Summary
The Reds started with intent, and it didn’t take long for the pressure to tell. Curtis Jones opened the scoring in the first half, tapping home after a period of relentless Liverpool possession.
While Brighton threatened early in the second half—forcing a world-class fingertip save from Alisson Becker to deny Lewis Dunk—the game was effectively ended in the 57th minute. A brilliant cross-field ball from Cody Gakpo found Mohamed Salah, who unselfishly squared it for Dominik Szoboszlai to smash home. A late third goal sealed a perfect night for the home side, who now look forward to the next round of the competition.
Key Highlights
Player of the Match: While Ally McCoist on TNT Sports named Curtis Jones as the standout, many fans felt Mohamed Salah was the true architect, providing a goal and a crucial assist.
Midfield Engine: Dominik Szoboszlai capped a tireless performance with a well-taken goal, proving why he is vital to Slot’s tactical setup.
Youth Integration: With the game secured, Slot handed minutes to highly-rated youngsters Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, much to the delight of the Anfield faithful.
Defensive Solidity: Despite some late sleepy moments, Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk held firm to ensure a clean sheet.
The Line-up
Arne Slot opted for a strong starting XI, balancing rotation with the necessity of progression:
Starting XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo.
What’s Next?
Liverpool returns to Premier League action next weekend as they travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest. With the momentum of an FA Cup win and a midweek victory over Sunderland behind them, the Reds will be looking to climb further up the league table.
