Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a wonder goal as Liverpool secured safe passage into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over a spirited Accrington Stanley side at Anfield.
Arne Slot's much-changed team ran into an Accrington brick wall for the first 25 minutes, but Diogo Jota's well-worked counter-attacking goal broke the visitors' resistance before an Alexander-Arnold special just before the break.
John Doolan's visitors did not lose faith and came agonisingly close to a momentous Anfield goal when Josh Woods - a boyhood Reds fan - smacked the crossbar, but Liverpool soon found their merciless streak as Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa capped off an emphatic win.
The Premier League leaders will discover their fourth-round opponents when the draw is made on Sunday evening, while Accrington fans and players revelled in the Anfield occasion despite succumbing to the Reds' superior quality.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
After Manchester United's hard-earned draw at Anfield and Tottenham Hotspur's merited but controversial EFL Cup semi-final victory, there was fleeting talk that the wheels might have finally been coming off for Slot's side.
An ultimately comfortable FA Cup success versus lower-league opposition therefore represented the perfect tonic for a second-string Reds team, but it was not the demolition job some might have foreseen, and Accrington were not starved of moments in the final third.
Defensive concerns are still lingering for the Premier League leaders, but they proved how devastating they can be on the counter-attack, and deputy captain Alexander-Arnold more than redeemed himself for his recent failings.
The 26-year-old's pitiful performance against Man United was rightly lambasted, but he sent a loud and clear contract message to the powers-that-be with another long-range thunderbolt, one that preceded an equally impressive strike from a smiling Chiesa.
Prior to the Italian's eye-catching first goal for the Reds, another fleet-footed winger made quite the impression on a historic appearance, as 2008-born Rio Ngumoha became the youngest-ever player to start for Liverpool in the FA Cup.
LIVERPOOL VS. ACCRINGTON STANLEY HIGHLIGHTS
Diogo Jota goal vs. Accrington Stanley (29th min, Liverpool 1-0 Accrington Stanley)
DEADLY COUNTER FROM LIVERPOOL! ⚽️
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 11, 2025
Jota caps a sweeping move for the home side 💥#ITVFootball | #FACup | #LFC pic.twitter.com/0bQimvmbdD
Accrington's stellar work in the opening 25 minutes is undone by their own set-piece failings.
The League Two side commit bodies forward for a free kick, which comes to nothing, and Slot's side launch a rapid counter-attack as Alexander-Arnold plays a slide-rule pass into the path of Darwin Nunez.
The Uruguayan - who had missed a couple of promising chances earlier on - opts against going for goal himself and squares for Jota, who has the simplest task of tapping home from six yards.
Trent Alexander-Arnold goal vs. Accrington Stanley (45th min, Liverpool 2-0 Accrington Stanley)
OH, THAT IS SPECIAL! 🤩
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 11, 2025
Trent Alexander-Arnold with an absolute peach! #ITVFootball | #FACup | #LFC pic.twitter.com/HqZW8esS9y
The Alexander-Arnold atonement is complete! One week on from his horror show against Manchester United, Liverpool's captain for the day doubles the hosts' lead in magnificent fashion.
Liverpool work the ball from left to right after 16-year-old Ngumoha's shot is blocked, and Dominik Szoboszlai tees up Alexander-Arnold, who lets fly from 25 yards and picks out the far corner with an astonishing strike.
Jayden Danns goal vs. Accrington Stanley (76th min, Liverpool 3-0 Accrington Stanley)
THE YOUNGSTER THAT HAS NO PROBLEMS SCORING IN THE FA CUP! 🏆
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 11, 2025
Jayden Danns starts the move and seals it for Liverpool ⚽️#ITVFootball | #FACup | #LFC | @Jayden_Danns pic.twitter.com/ZkJOFKQIo1
A goal made by Danns and finished by Danns! The 18-year-old wins possession back for the Reds just inside the Accrington half and drives forward before laying off Chiesa, who is thwarted by the face of William Crellin.
Liverpool are queuing up to tuck the rebound away, though, and the ball drops kindly for Danns, who lashes in the Reds' third in front of the Kop.
Federico Chiesa goal vs. Accrington Stanley (90th min, Liverpool 4-0 Accrington Stanley)
Federico Chiesa puts the cherry on top with a fine strike! 🍒
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 11, 2025
His first Liverpool goal ⚽️#ITVFootball | #FACup | #LFC pic.twitter.com/VjSxwcQDXx
Not quite 28 Years Later, but this has been a long time coming for Chiesa!
The former Juventus man experienced a nightmare first few months at Anfield, but he finally has his first goal for his new club, lining up a low strike from 20 yards and seeing his effort kiss the inside of the far post on its way in.
MAN OF THE MATCH - TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD
© Imago
Whether Alexander-Arnold's start on Saturday means that Conor Bradley will come in for the Nottingham Forest trip only Slot knows, but the 26-year-old received a rousing reception from the Anfield faithful after thoroughly redeeming himself.
As well as his wonderful first-half goal, Alexander-Arnold created three chances, registered two blocks and won all three of his ground duels - a stark contrast to his 0% success rate from such battles against Man United.
LIVERPOOL VS. ACCRINGTON MATCH STATS
Possession: Liverpool 79%-21% Accrington Stanley
Shots: Liverpool 22-8 Accrington Stanley
Shots on target: Liverpool 9-1 Accrington Stanley
Corners: Liverpool 8-6 Accrington Stanley
Fouls: Liverpool 4-10 Accrington Stanley
BEST STATS
Rio Ngumoha becomes the youngest player in Liverpool's history to feature in the FA Cup - 16 years and 135 days old ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/9ha0JEuLxq
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 11, 2025
76% - Of players to have scored 5+ goals for Liverpool in all competitions in the Premier League era (since 1992-93), Trent Alexander-Arnold has scored the highest share from outside the box (76% - 16/21). Territory. #LIVACC pic.twitter.com/t2KYj8Fje7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
On the back of ending their two-game winless sequence, Liverpool resume their quest for Premier League glory away to surprise package Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, where the Tricky Trees could move to within three points of Slot's crop in the top-flight table.
As for Accrington - who can head home with their heads held high - Doolan's side have a week to recuperate from Saturday's game before they host Notts County in League Two action on January 18.
Ben Knapton
