Another moment of brilliance from Dominik Szoboszlai sealed yet another comeback from Liverpool as Leicester’s hopes of an upset were shattered spectacularly at Anfield.
The Hungary captain had been on the pitch for five minutes when he polished a dominant home display with a thunderous drive that kissed the underside of Jakub Stolarczyk’s crossbar en route to goal. The Championship club had taken an early lead through Kasey McAteer but stylish strikes from Cody Gakpo, Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota ensured Liverpool came from behind to win for the fifth time in eight matches.
It was Liverpool’s fourth successive 3-1 win and the sixth time this season that Jürgen Klopp’s team have scored three in a game. Even when trailing at half-time, Liverpool’s passage to the fourth round was rarely in doubt.
“It was a super goal,” said the Liverpool manager of his £60m summer recruit from Leipzig. “Since the first minute of [pre-season] training he was pretty impressive. He is a really top guy, he is a naturally confident boy and that helps him step into the team and the dressing room but he is a super hard worker. That is important. He enjoys being here a lot and people appreciate him. Long may it continue.”
- Mansfield v Port Vale
- Ipswich Tv Fulham
- Manchester United v Newcastle
- Bournemouth v Liverpool
- Chelsea v Blackburn
- West Ham v Arsenal
- Everton v Burnley
- Exeter v Middlesbrough
Ties will be played on 31 October and 1 November
There is no VAR until the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, in the interests of fairness to all clubs in the EFL competition, and Liverpool twice had reason to rue that decision in the opening exchanges. First, Kostas Tsimikas appeared to be clipped by Marc Albrighton as he attempted to halt a Leicester counterattack from his own free-kick.
The referee Tim Robinson waved play on, Yunus Akgun broke and threaded a pass behind an exposed Liverpool defence into the path of McAteer. The 21-year-old midfielder displayed excellent composure to beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a cool, low finish. Liverpool then had a penalty claim denied when James Justin caught Ben Doak with a clumsy challenge.
Doak hit the bar and Conor Coady blocked a Gakpo header on the line as Leicester’s goal led a charmed life before the break. The visitors’ determination to play out from the back under Enzo Maresca is admirable but highly risky against a relentless, intelligent opponent like Liverpool.
So it proved when Gakpo levelled. Wataru Endo intercepted an ambitious clearance from Albrighton, enabling Ryan Gravenberch to find compatriot Gakpo inside the visitors’ area. The Netherlands international turned sharply to beat Stolarczyk with a precise finish.
The introduction of Szoboszlai and Darwin Núñez strengthened Liverpool’s hold on the tie and Anfield was in raptures when the midfielder collected Endo’s pass and swept home from the edge of the D. Superb covering from Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konaté repelled several Leicester breaks before Jota scored an exquisite third, rolling Quansah’s low cross in off the far post with a beautiful touch of the instep.
