Liverpool have qualified for the Fifth Round of the 2023/2024 FA Cup. This was after the Reds beat Norwich City 5-2.
Liverpool, who fielded several second tier players, dominated from the start of the FA Cup Fourth Round match, Sunday (28/1/2024) at Anfield. They forced Norwich to defend completely and had no chance to build an attack.
In the fifth minute, Liverpool built an attack from the left side which was started by Curtis Jones and ended with a short pass to Joe Gomez. Gomez tried to shoot but the ball hit the opposing defender and ended up in the corner.
Liverpool’s first best chance came from Darwin Nunez in the 10th minute when he was free in front of the penalty box. He curled a shot to the goalkeeper’s left but the ball hit the post.
Liverpool opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Jones. Young midfielder James McConnell saw Jones in a free position at the far post and sent a cross which Jones easily converted into a goal.
Norwich were able to equalize the score with their first clear chance in the 22nd minute. From a corner kick, Gabriel Sara sent the ball which hit Ben Gibson’s back in front of the goal and Alisson Becker was unable to block it.
Nunez restored Liverpool’s lead in the 28th minute. Conor Bradley snatched the ball from a Norwich player and played a 1-2 pass with Jota, before sending the ball to Nunez in the box.
Nunez controlled the ball first before shooting it at the far post of the Norwich goal which was guarded by George Long.
Liverpool almost scored a third goal two minutes later if Gakpo’s shot in front of goal following Bradley’s cross didn’t go wide. The 2-1 score lasted until halftime.
Entering the second half, Liverpool still dominated the game. Liverpool scored the third goal in the 53rd minute through Diogo Jota. Starting from Jones’ long pass from his own playing area, the ball was actually blocked by Gibson.
However, the ball fell in front of Jota, who immediately fired a volley into the left corner of the goal.
Liverpool increased their lead again to 4-1 in the 63rd minute after substitute Virgil van Dijk got his name on the scoreboard. Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner was headed by Van Dijk which meant the ball could not be blocked by Long.
Norwich revived their hopes when they scored their second goal in the 69th minute through Borja Sainz’s shot from outside the penalty box which nestled in the left corner of Alisson’s goal.
Ryan Gravenberch sealed Liverpool’s 5-2 win in the final minute of injury time when he headed in Conor Bradley’s cross from close range. Liverpool advanced to the Round of 16 to meet Watford or Southampton next month.
