Liverpool reached the FA Cup fifth round with an entertaining victory over Norwich in their first game since manager Jurgen Klopp announced he will leave at the end of the season.
Klopp, who revealed his impending departure on Friday, was given a rousing reception by the home supporters before kick-off, and his team wasted little time in moving through the gears against the Championship play-off hopefuls.
Darwin Nunez had already struck the post with a magnificent curling drive by the time Curtis Jones nodded the hosts in front from full debutant James McConnell’s cross.
The Canaries equalised against the run of play when Ben Gibson steered in Gabriel Sara’s corner, but Nunez restored Liverpool’s lead with a calm finish after fine work from full-back Conor Bradley.
And it was 3-1 early in the second half when Diogo Jota latched on to a wayward header from Gibson before thumping a low shot past goalkeeper George Long.
Second-half substitute Virgil van Dijk, left completely unmarked from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner, headed home Liverpool’s fourth before a superb Borja Sainz strike gave Norwich hope – moments after Christian Fassnacht’s finish was disallowed for offside.
The only other sour note for the home side was a late injury for teenager McConnell, who had to be replaced by Luis Diaz with 12 minutes remaining – but there was still time for Ryan Gravenberch to complete the scoring with a close-range header.
The Reds will host Watford or Southampton in the fifth round after the Championship clubs played out a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road earlier on Sunday.
Business as usual for dominant Reds
Klopp stunned the football world by announcing he will call time on his eight-year Liverpool tenure at the end of the season, citing dwindling energy levels as the reason for his exit.
However, there was no lack of energy from his side on an afternoon of heightened emotions at Anfield.
Klopp’s opposite number and close friend David Wagner had jokingly asked the Liverpool boss for “massive rotation” before the game, but the hosts had little trouble overpowering their opponents despite leaving Van Dijk, Szoboszlai and Diaz out of the starting line-up.
Twenty-year-old Bradley was a persistent threat down the right-hand side and was heavily involved in Liverpool’s second goal, winning the ball back near the halfway line and playing a neat one-two with Jota before releasing Nunez.
McConnell, who was handed his senior debut in the latter stages of a 3-0 victory over Brentford in November, delivered a peach of a cross for Jones’ opener and was calm in possession until his enforced departure late in the second half.
Norwich, who were without top scorer Jon Rowe because of injury, struggled to test Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson despite some neat passages of build-up play, with Gibson’s goal coming from their only attempt of the first 45 minutes.
Jota’s smart finish seven minutes into the second half allowed Klopp to introduce some fresh legs, with Andy Robertson coming off the bench for his first appearance since suffering a shoulder injury in Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifying defeat by Spain in October.
Sainz’s fabulous strike gave the visiting supporters something to cheer about in the second period, but Van Dijk’s header six minutes earlier had left the Canaries with too big a mountain to climb.
And Gravenberch’s late header added gloss to a dominant display from the Premier League leaders, who can now look forward to another home tie against Championship opposition in the next round.
Player of the match
BradleyConor Bradley
with an average of 7.72
- LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
- NorwichNorwich CityNorwich City
Liverpool
Avg
Squad number84Player nameBradleyAverage rating7.72
- Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
7.52
- Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
7.42
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating7.30
- Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
7.27
- Squad number53Player nameMcConnellAverage rating
7.22
- Squad number9Player nameNúñezAverage rating
7.12
- Squad number7Player nameDíazAverage rating
7.11
- Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating
7.09
- Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating
7.05
- Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
6.97
- Squad number78Player nameQuansahAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
6.83
- Squad number38Player nameGravenberchAverage rating
6.81
- Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating
6.76
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
Squad number2Player nameGomezAverage rating
Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage ratingNorwich City
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSainzAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number23Player nameMcLeanAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number17Player nameGabriel SaraAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number6Player nameGibsonAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number30Player nameGiannoulisAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number8Player nameGibbsAverage rating
5.83
- Squad number10Player nameBarnesAverage rating
5.76
- Squad number11Player nameIdahAverage rating
5.73
- Squad number5Player nameHanleyAverage rating
5.73
- Squad number25Player nameHernándezAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number12Player nameLongAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number26Player nameNúñezAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number19Player nameSørensenAverage rating
5.65
- Squad number15Player nameMcCallumAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number16Player nameFassnachtAverage rating
5.52
- Squad number3Player nameStaceyAverage rating
5.51
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson84Bradley5Konaté78Quansah2Gomez38Gravenberch53McConnell17Jones20Jota9Núñez18Gakpo
- 1Alisson
- 84Bradley
- 5KonatéSubstituted forvan Dijkat 55’minutes
- 78Quansah
- 2GomezSubstituted forRobertsonat 55’minutes
- 38Gravenberch
- 53McConnellSubstituted forDíazat 79’minutes
- 17JonesSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 55’minutes
- 20Jota
- 9NúñezSubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 66’minutes
- 18Gakpo
Substitutes
- 4van Dijk
- 7Díaz
- 8Szoboszlai
- 19Elliott
- 26Robertson
- 42Clark
- 62Kelleher
- 63Beck
- 66Alexander-Arnold
Norwich
Formation 4-5-1
12Long3Stacey5Hanley6Gibson15McCallum16Fassnacht26Núñez23McLean17Gomes Sara25Hernández10Barnes
- 12Long
- 3Stacey
- 5HanleySubstituted forSørensenat 62’minutes
- 6Gibson
- 15McCallumSubstituted forGiannoulisat 83’minutes
- 16FassnachtSubstituted forGibbsat 84’minutes
- 26Núñez
- 23McLean
- 17Gomes Sara
- 25HernándezSubstituted forSainzat 61’minutes
- 10BarnesSubstituted forIdahat 62’minutes
Substitutes
- 7Sainz
- 8Gibbs
- 11Idah
- 19Sørensen
- 20Placheta
- 28Gunn
- 30Giannoulis
- 35Fisher
- 51Ansen
Referee:Samuel BarrottAttendance:57,334
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamNorwichPossessionHome73%Away27%ShotsHome29Away6Shots on TargetHome10Away5CornersHome13Away2FoulsHome7Away3
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Liverpool 5, Norwich City 2.
- 90’+6′
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 5, Norwich City 2.
- 90’+5’goal
Goal!
Goal! Liverpool 5, Norwich City 2. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Conor Bradley.
- 90’+5′
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 90’+4′
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Cody Gakpo (Liverpool).
- 90’+3′
Post update
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai.
- 90’+3′
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jack Stacey.
- 90’+2′
Post update
Attempt blocked. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai.
- 90′
Post update
Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Andy Robertson.
- 89′
Post update
Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.
- 89′
Post update
Attempt saved. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Luis Díaz.
- 88′
Post update
Attempt saved. Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luis Díaz.
- 88′
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Liam Gibbs.
- 87′
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Dimitris Giannoulis.
- 85′
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Adam Idah.
- 85′
Post update
Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Andy Robertson with a cross following a corner.
- 84′
Post update
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jack Stacey.
- 84′
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Liam Gibbs replaces Christian Fassnacht.
- 83′
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Dimitris Giannoulis replaces Sam McCallum.
- 79′
Post update
Attempt missed. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
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