Match reportLiverpool score three to beat Brighton and progress in FA Cup
Curtis Jones opened the scoring in the round-four tie after 42 minutes to set the hosts on their way.
The Reds’ spot in Monday night’s draw was confirmed by a Dominik Szoboszlai hit and penalty from Mohamed Salah in the second half.
Team
Szoboszlai returned from suspension to start as one of four changes, with Jones, Milos Kerkez and Federico Chiesa the others.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz (Gomez, 71), Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah (Ekitike, 77), Chiesa (Ngumoha, 77), Jones (Nyoni, 90), Gakpo (Ramsay, 90).
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Robertson, Gravenberch, Morrison.
First half
There was an even but rather uneventful opening half an hour as both sides struggled to create clear-cut openings.
That said, Ferdi Kadioglu did force Alisson Becker into an early save and Jones was not far off with a curler from the edge of the box.
Liverpool had a goal ruled out in minute 36 – Cody Gakpo ruled to be in an offside position when nodding in Szoboszlai’s free-kick.
Kerkez then sent a fizzing effort towards goal that required tipping over by Jason Steele, four minutes before teeing up the opener.
The left-back’s whipped delivery from near the left touchline was met by Jones, who opened his body to divert the ball goalwards and watched it go in off the bar.
The visiting Seagulls nearly responded quickly but Jack Hinshelwood headed over off a corner and then Alisson thwarted Diego Gomez from close range.
Second half
The Reds needed Alisson again before they established an unassailable lead.
A Brighton free-kick was pumped into the box and Lewis Dunk’s header back across goal was clawed away by the Brazilian, with Jan Paul van Hecke waiting for the tap-in.
That intervention allowed the scoreline to move to 2-0 soon after, courtesy of a well-worked move and equally good first-time strike from Szoboszlai.
A crossfield switch by Gakpo was nudged beautifully into the goalscorer’s path by Salah, allowing him to rifle past Steele.
Salah was heavily involved in the build-up to the third goal, too.
The Egyptian skipped past Kadioglu and then drew a challenge inside the area from Pascal Gross, leading to the referee pointing to the spot.
He duly dusted himself down and dispatched the effort into the top corner.
Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter threatened towards the end but Liverpool held on to the clean sheet and their fifth-round berth.
Attendance: 60,227