Match reportJota, Alexander-Arnold, Danns and Chiesa strike in FA Cup win over Accrington
Liverpool progressed into the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 4-0 victory over Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
The Reds opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when a counter-attack from a corner ended with Darwin Nunez squaring for Diogo Jota to tap in.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – wearing the captain’s armband for the afternoon – lashed in a second just before the break with a fine finish from outside the area.
Jayden Danns came off the bench to add a third, converting smartly after Federico Chiesa’s initial shot had been saved.
Chiesa did add further gloss with his first goal for the club, driving in a low effort from outside the box in the 90th minute and ensuring Liverpool made certain of their place in Sunday’s fourth-round draw.
Team
Arne Slot utilised an opportunity to shuffle the pack for the visit of the League Two side, with 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha handed a senior debut.
Dominik Szoboszlai returned following illness, while Jarell Quansah was passed fit to start.
Liverpool: Kelleher, Endo (Nyoni, 78), Szoboszlai (Chiesa, 46), Nunez, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold (Bradley, 60), Ngumoha (Danns, 72), Quansah, Morton (McConnell, 60).
Unused substitutes: Jaros, Diaz, Mac Allister, Robertson.
First half
Liverpool asserted control from the off in sub-zero temperatures at Anfield.
The first chance of note arrived with seven minutes on the clock when a Kostas Tsimikas delivery was nudged back across goal by Harvey Elliott on the stretch. Nunez attempted to meet it, but could only flick a header over the bar.
An even better opportunity would arrive soon after when Szoboszlai dummied Tsimikas’ square pass to allow Alexander-Arnold a low drive at goal. It was kept out by the boot of William Crellin before Nunez hooked the rebound over from 15 yards.
To their credit, the visitors withstood a series of early set-plays into their area – but they were undone by a trademark Liverpool goal on 30 minutes.
The Reds broke from an Accrington corner, resulting in Alexander-Arnold supplying a pass for Nunez to chase down the right. The No.9 raced into the box before squaring for Jota to side-foot in from close range.
Elliott was thwarted by a save from Crellin, while Tyler Morton curled an effort a touch too high from range, as the hosts looked to add to their advantage.
A second duly did arrive on the stroke of half-time when Alexander-Arnold drove an unerring shot across goal and into the top corner from a position on the right just outside the area.
Second half
Liverpool could have had a third within a minute of the restart, but Crellin foiled Nunez’s drive inside the box before Chiesa – on as a half-time substitute in place of Szoboszlai – had a follow-up deflected into the side-netting.
Accrington threatened to reduce the arrears when a short-corner routine saw Josh Woods collect the ball just inside the area and cannon a shot off the top of Caoimhin Kelleher’s crossbar.
Donald Love then spurned a headed opportunity from another set-piece, nodding over from close range when unmarked.
On 74 minutes, James McConnell’s pass over the top put Chiesa into a shooting position, but his goal-bound hook was nudged behind by Crellin.
Nevertheless, a third did arrive soon after. Another substitute – Danns – sent Chiesa through on goal once more. This time, Crellin repelled the attempt back across goal, where Danns arrived to emphatically finish first-time from eight yards.
Then, having earlier hit the post, Chiesa finally did get himself on the scoresheet in the 90th minute when he drove low into the bottom corner from distance, claiming his first goal for Liverpool and putting the seal on the victory.
Attendance: 60,261
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