Liverpool cruise into FA Cup fifth round after easing past Brighton at Anfield
By Carl Markham, Press Association
Curtis Jones’ first goal in over a year paved the way for Liverpool’s progression into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield.
The academy graduate had gone 57 matches since scoring against Leicester on Boxing Day 2024, but with impeccable timing he marked his first start in six matches with an expertly-taken half-volley.
Toxteth-born Jones’ future has been the subject of debate after interest from Inter Milan last month coincided with a spell on the bench.
He may have wanted to prove a point, but possibly wondered how he would do it from a stand-in right-back position, such is Liverpool’s injury problems in that position.
But he ghosted into the six-yard box to cleverly divert Milos Kerkez’s close into the roof of the net late in the first half.
Another Dominik Szoboszlai special for his fifth goal in his last eight matches, taking him into double figures for the season, was followed by Mohamed Salah’s penalty for only his second goal for the club since November 1 and just his seventh of the campaign.
This was one of Salah’s better matches since his fall-out with head coach Arne Slot before his pre-Christmas departure to the Africa Cup of Nations, a situation which appears to calmed down since his return.
The sight of the Egypt international thumping the club crest on his chest in front of the Kop has rarely been seen this season, but the 33-year-old seems to be finding his place in this new-look team which already has an eye on the post-Salah era.
A year ago since Liverpool were exiting this competition to Plymouth, then near the bottom of the Championship, as a second-string side put in an underwhelming performance which still rankles with Slot.
Despite a number of injuries, and a hard-fought win at Sunderland in midweek, the head coach took no chances this time, naming a team which had nine players who would ordinarily be his first choice.
One of four changes from the Stadium of Light was Kerkez who, after a shaky start to his Liverpool career, has started to look like a £40million left-back with a second assist in three games, more goal contributions than he managed in his 30 previous appearances.
After seeing a rising drive tipped over from Alexis Mac Allister’s quick crossfield free-kick, it was Kerkez’s quick reactions and perfect delivery which teed up Jones for the close-range opener, although the midfielder made the finish look much easier than it actually was.
Jack Hinshelwood should have equalised but headed over and Diego Gomez would have had it not been for a good save from Alisson Becker, surprisingly preferred to second-choice Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The goalkeeper was almost embarrassed early in the second half when Gomez charged down his clearance only for the ball to bounce wide of the open goal, although he redeemed himself by clawing away Lewis Dunk’s dangerous header.
It was the incentive Liverpool needed to step up their efforts and the unerringly consistent Szoboszlai and Salah, who converted a penalty he won after barging past Ferdi Kadioglu only to be tripped by Pascal Gross, made the game safe.
