The Reds qualify for the fourth round of the FA Cup

Liverpool qualified for the fourth round of the FA Cup by defeating Accrington Stanley 4-0.

Goals from Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jayden Dance and Federico Chiesa’s opener secured a comfortable victory for the Premier League leaders.

The match saw Accrington display a commendable willingness to press high and disrupt Liverpool’s attacking build-up.

However, the hosts quickly settled into their rhythm. Liverpool had early chances, including a shot from Alexander-Arnold that was blocked by Accrington goalkeeper Toby Crellin, followed by a rebound from Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool’s lead came in the 29th minute. A quick counterattack saw Alexander-Arnold pass to Nunez from the right side.

A low cross from Uruguay found Jota in the six-yard box, and the Portuguese striker made no mistake, slotting the ball home to make it 1-0.

They doubled their lead before the end of the first half. Szoboszlai passed the ball to Alexander-Arnold on the edge of the box, and the England international produced a moment of brilliance, curling a stunning shot into the top corner.

Victory in #EmiratesFACup The third round 🙌 #livak pic.twitter.com/hMHW5I6cgX

– Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 11, 2025

The second half saw changes from both sides, including the introduction of Chiesa for Liverpool.

The Italian immediately injected energy into the attack and came close to scoring early, hitting the side netting from a tight angle.

To Accrington’s credit, they showed resilience and played their best spell shortly after half-time. Josh Woods hit the crossbar with a powerful shot, and Sean Whalley also tested Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher with a long-range shot.

Liverpool regained control and added a third goal in the 76th minute. Jayden Dance, one of the club’s young prospects, capitalized on the rebound after Chiesa’s initial effort was blocked by Crelin.

Chiesa, who was lively throughout his appearance in the second half, rounded off the performance in the 90th minute.

The 26-year-old striker received a pass from youngster Trey Nyonyi, another new signing, and fired low from the edge of the box.

Despite the result, Accrington had moments to be proud of. Players like Wally and Woods showed flashes of quality, but the visitors ultimately lacked the firepower to seriously test the Premier League leaders.