Liverpool qualified for the fourth round of the FA Cup after defeating Accrington Stanley in League Two, 4-0, at Anfield.
First half goals from Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold gave the Reds an easy half-time lead after a one-sided first half.
Despite a few moments of encouragement for the visitors in the second half, the game ended late with a goal by Jayden Dance and a first goal by Federico Chiesa. Liverpool.
How the game unfolded
Although the changes were expected, Arne Slott caused a major surprise in his starting XI when he gave 16-year-old Ryo Ngomoha the chance to make his debut.
Having controlled the ball from the start, it was Liverpool who created the first chance, with Darwin Nunes heading in a shot from Harvey Elliott. The Uruguayan then took advantage of a better chance presented to him after Trent Alexander-Arnold went close to scoring.
But, just when it looked like Accrington Stanley were starting to feel comfortable, the home side discovered their breakthrough. This came after they successfully defended a free-kick inside their own penalty area, and saw Alexander-Arnold play in Nunez, who passed to Jota.
Alexander-Arnold then doubled the lead just before half-time, curling a stunning shot into the far top corner from the right edge of the penalty area.
Liverpool started the second half in a similarly dominant mood, but were indebted to a block on the goal line and a cross of the crossbar to Josh Woods’ failure to pull one back with two chances in quick succession.
Donald Love then provided another reminder that the game was not over yet, as he headed a chance that he should have done much better over the bar.
Unfortunately for Accrington, their hopes were effectively dashed when substitute Danz slotted home a powerful goal after Chiesa’s effort had been saved.
and Italian, He is regularly linked with a move to Napoli in the January transfer windowHe added a brilliant touch to the scoreline just before the end of normal time, hitting the post from the edge of the penalty area.
Check out the player ratings for Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley here.
Slot has proven during his short time at Liverpool that he is not a manager who takes the first team lightly – just ask Federico Chiesa.
So including 16-year-old Ryo Ngumoha in the starting line-up for this match was a huge endorsement of his talents.
The young winger who was stolen from Chelsea This summer, he showed why he was so highly rated at Anfield, and why his former club were so devastated to lose him with a sensational display of dribbling.
It seems clear that this will not be the last time he will grace Anfield, with more opportunities likely to await this season, such as the impressive and mature nature of his performances.
Slott couldn’t have asked for more from the third round draw FA Cup From a home match against a League Two competitor.
The Dutchman will be happy that every aspect of the day went as expected.
A comfortable win that keeps Liverpool in contention, important minutes for fringe and young players, and no new injuries that might derail the season – it doesn’t get much better than that.
Playing 45 minutes against a League Two rival may not be everything Chiesa dreamed of following his summer move to Liverpool, but he will make it happen for now.
Fitness issues have plagued the Italian since his arrival on Merseyside, meaning he has found his opportunities limited even in domestic cup competitions.
However, he looked sharp and ready for a physical challenge after coming on as a first-half substitute in this match, creating chances, hitting the post and then capping things off by scoring impressively.
The challenge now is for Chiesa to build on this by forcing his way into the manager’s plans around the most important matches.
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