Liverpool comfortably secured their place in the FA Cup fourth round with a 3-0 win over Accrington Stanley at Anfield.
The Premier League leaders, who experienced only their second defeat of the season in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Tottenham, broke the League Two side’s stubborn defense when Diogo Jota converted Darwin Nunez’s square pass just before the 30-minute mark.
Trent Alexander-Arnold extended Liverpool’s lead in stunning fashion just before halftime, firing a powerful shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area to give the hosts a two-goal cushion.
Accrington refused to simply sit back in the second half, with Josh Woods, a boyhood Liverpool fan, striking the crossbar, and former Manchester United defender Donald Love heading a free kick over the bar from close range.
However, Jayden Danns, who had replaced 16-year-old debutant Rio Ngumoha just minutes earlier, sealed the win with a rebound after Federico Chiesa’s shot was blocked by Accrington’s goalkeeper Billy Crellin.
Chiesa, who came on at halftime, proved to be a lively presence and completed the scoring with a low, long-range effort—his first goal for Liverpool since joining from Juventus in August—shortly after hitting the post with a previous attempt.
Arne Slot’s side will learn their fourth-round opponents after Sunday’s tie between Arsenal and Manchester United.
Ngumoha makes history as Alexander-Arnold puts criticism behind him
Despite facing a side 86 places below them in the league pyramid, Liverpool boss Slot fielded a strong team which subjected their opponents to concerted pressure from the start.
Nunez should have given the hosts the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, shooting high over the crossbar after Accrington keeper Crellin – on loan from Everton – had kept out a low Alexander-Arnold shot with his right leg.
The 29th-minute opener came just seconds after one of Accrington’s first real forays into Liverpool’s half. After Ben Woods’ inswinging free-kick was cleared, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold combined to release Nunez, whose low cross from the right was tapped in by Jota.
Amid an uncertain future, Alexander-Arnold was criticised by some supporters following the 2-2 draw with Manchester United last weekend, but the Anfield crowd were singing the 26-year-old’s praises after watching his sweetly-struck effort sail into the top corner of Crellin’s net just before the break.
It all but ended Accrington’s hopes of an upset, but the League Two strugglers gave an excellent account of themselves in the second half and will perhaps be a little frustrated not to have made the scoresheet themselves.
Forward Josh Woods, a Liverpool supporter who grew up idolising Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, almost gave the 4,700 travelling fans reason to cheer when he rattled the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Not long after that, Love managed to escape the attention of the Liverpool defence to meet Shaun Whalley’s corner, but could only direct his header over Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal.
At 16 years and 135 days old, Ngumoha became the youngest starter in Liverpool’s history and second-youngest debutant – behind Jerome Sinclair.
And the teenage forward was a livewire down the Reds’ left wing and received a warm ovation from the Anfield crowd after being replaced by 18-year-old Danns, who found the net just four minutes later.
Chiesa had the final say, though, his stoppage-time strike opening his account for the club on his fifth appearance following an injury-plagued campaign.