Match report: Liverpool 2-1 Norwich City
FA Cup: Liverpool’s pursuit of what Jürgen Klopp insists is an unlikely quadruple goes on, though progress into the FA Cup quarter-finals was more complicated than it should have been. Andy Hunter reports ...
Jurgen Klopp: “With 10 changes you need a little time to adapt but after 15 minutes or so we calmed the game down, scored really good goals, we controlled the game when we played easy passes and looked really good,” the Liverpool manager tells ITV Sport.
“In the second half we couldn’t score the third goal and they have their situation and that can change the game completely. It didn’t. We had to fight to get it over the line but that’s absolutely fine.”
Klopp on Minamino’s two goals: “He’s an incredible player,” he says. “That’s the best game he’s had for us. He played a super game, was a constant threat, kept all the balls. I’m really happy for him. Without him we wouldn’t be in the quarter-finals. Without him we wouldn’t have been in the final of the Carabao Cup.”
Match report: Southampton 3-1 West Ham
FA Cup: West Ham will have to make do with competing on just the two fronts for the remainder of this season after Southampton advanced to the FA Cup quarter-finals at their expense, writes Ben Fisher from St Mary’s.
Match report: Luton Town 2-3 Chelsea
FA Cup: On a day in which their Russian owner announced he is selling the club, Chelsea were forced to come from behind twice before emerging victorious against dogged Luton.
A quick recap: Both managers made plenty of changes and it was Liverpool fringe players Curtis Jones and Takumi Minamino who stood out. Jones was outstanding in the first half before succumbing to a thigh injury, while Minamino scored both Liverpool’s goals to set them on course for victory.
They were cruising in the second half, until Lukas Rupp took advantage of some poor defending to pull one back for Norwich. It wasn’t enough, even if young substitute Jon Rowe put the fear of good in Alisson with a late effort.
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Full time: Liverpool 2-1 Norwich City
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeep! It’s all over at Anfield, where Liverpool have advanced to the quarter-finals at the expense of a Norwich City side that put their hosts through the wringer in the closing minutes.
90+3 min: Great work from Tsimikas, who gallops forward down the left and feeds Luis Diaz. He cuts inside and has a shot deflected into the hands of Krul.
90+2 min: What should have been a stroll in the park for Liverpool has become very nervy. They’ve made life needlessly difficult for themselves in these closing stages.
90 min: Norwich lump it long and Jonathan Rowe chases the ball. Alisson gathers. We’ll have four minutes of added time.
87 min: Luis Diaz turns on the edge of the Norwich penalty area, sending two defenders skidding towards the car-park. With all the time in the world to shoot, he curls a shot narrowly wide of the right upright.
85 min: Oof! Jonathan Rowe beats James Milner for speed down the inside left and unleashes a shot. It’s heading for the top corner and needs a crucial touch from Alisson to keep it out.
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84 min: Liverpool double-substitution: Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz replace Divock Origi and Diogo Jota.
83 min: Norwich win a free-kick halfway inside the Liverpool half. Billy Gilmour puts too much welly on it and sends the ball floating past Liverpool’s high defensive line - three or four yards outside the penalty area - towards Alisson
81 min: Liverpool win a corner which is delayed as Giannoulis receives treatment for cramp from his team-mate Christoph Zimmermann.
79 min: Minamino tees up Jota on the edge of the Norwich penalty area but the Portuguese loses his footing before he can pull the trigger. Liverpool have gone up a couple of gears having dropped their intensity and let Norwich back into the game.
78 min: Norwich City substitution: goalscorer Rupp is replaced by Kenny McLean.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Norwich City (Rupp 77)
Well, that’s told me. Lukas Rupp scores a cracking goal with a shot from distance, taking a pass from Josh Sargent, then taking aim as Joe Gomez backpedalled and invited him on.
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75 min: Norwich keep plugging away to little or no effect as the game enters its final 15 minutes. They are a very poor side.
72 min: Ibrahima Konate performs heroics to shepherd a very slow rolling ball out of play for a goal kick with Jonathan Rowe snapping at his heels like a little terrier.
70 min: Diogo Jota rises at the far post to meet an inch-perfect cross from Harvey Elliott. Despite his expertise in the air, he sends the ball high and wide of the goal frame when scoring looked easier.
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66 min: Over in any meaningful way as a contest since Liverpool scored their second goal, this match plods on despite Norwich all but hoisting the white flag of surrender on the hour mark with that triple-substitution. Unless Liverpool’s players succumb to boredom and fall asleep, it’s difficult to see any way back for the Canaries in this game.
63 min: Josh Sargent flings himself at the ball, trying to nod a Giannoulis cross from the left touchline goalwards. He makes contact but sends his effort high and wide. That’s a bad miss – the American was unmarked and had a clear sight of goal.
60 min: Liverpool substitution: Tyler Morton on for Jordan Henderson. Norwich triple-substitution: Kieran Dowell, Billy Gilmour and Jonathan Rowe on for Teemu Pukki, Mathias Normann and Milot Rashica.
58 min: Southampton have booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup courtesy of a 3-1 win over West Ham.
58 min: Minamino stands the ball up at the far post but it’s too high for Diogo Jota and bounces wide.
55 min: Gibson’s left arm was hanging down by his side and it’s fair to say he didn’t move it towards the ball before it hit him on the biceps. For all that, it would not have been hugely surprising to see a spot-kick awarded.
53 min: Diogo Jota cuts inside the Norwich penalty area from the left, beats his man and unleashes a shot. It’s on target and hits the arm of Ben Gibson but Liverpool don’t get a penalty.
51 min: A sublime touch from Jota tees up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who thumps the foot of the post with his low drive from distance.
50 min: Jordan Henderson is booked for a trip on Mathias Normann as the Norwegian tried to gallop upfield.
48 min: James Milner plays a low ball along the floor from deep, trying to play it into the path of Origi. Ben Gibson cuts it out.
Second half: Liverpool 2-0 Norwich City
46 min: Przemyslaw Placheta has come off second best with his collision with the advertising hoarding and is replaced by Josh Sargent. Here’s hoping Placheta is OK, because he really crashed into that board. Harvey Elliott is on for Liverpool, replacing Curtis Jones, who seemed to be nursing a thigh injury as he went off at half-time.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup: Perhaps understandably distracted by other news pertaining to their club’s Russian owner, Chelsea’s players made heavy weather of beating Luton 3-2 to advance to the quarter-finals. Southampton currnelt lead West Ham at St Mary’s, where they’re in the closing minutes.
Half-time: Liverpool 2-0 Norwich City
Peep: Kostas Tsimikas, a photographer and two Norwich medics help Placheta back to his feet as the rest of the players go in for their half-toime brew. He looks a bit winded.
Liverpool lead courtesy of a brace from Takumi Minamino and the FA Cup jig looks well and truly up for Norwich.
45+2 min: Norwich winger Placheta comes out second best in a foot-race with Tsimikas and crashes into and over an advertising hoarding. It sounded painful and Tsimikas goes back to help extricate him. All we can see are a pair of feet sticking over the top.
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45+2 min: The game has been fairly flat since Liverpool’s opener and is now being played in near silence. Milot Rashica tries to rouse them from their slumber with a low drive from distance that fizzes well wide.
42 min: Much like they did against Southampton on Friday night, Norwich City look completely bereft of ideas against vastly superior opposition. Whatever about them going out of the FA Cup, an exit Dean SMith is unlikely to lose little or any sleep over, it’s difficult to see them avoiding relegation. They’ve three big games against Brentford, Leeds and Chelsea coming up.
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GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Norwich City (Minamino 39)
Minamino scores again! Liverpool win another corner. The ball is headed Minamino’s way at the far post and sits up nicely for him. He puts his laces through it and sends it rocketing past Krul from quite a tight angle.
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37 min: Kostas Tsimikas pings a cross from the left into the Norwich penalty area, trying to find the head of Origi. Ben Gibson heads clear.
34 min: Diogo Jota is booked, taking one for the team with a trip on Rashica in the centre-circle as he set off on a counter-attack for Norwich City.
33 min: Another corner for Liverpool and this time the ball finds its way back to Alisson standing halfway inside his own half.
32 min: Liverpool win a corner, which Dimitris Giannoulous hacks clear.
29 min: Liverpool had an overload down the inside left and the ball was played into the penalty area by Jones. Jota dummied and Origi showed quick feet in a crowded patch of grass to pick out Minamino to his right. The Japanese winger had plenty of goal to aim at and only Tim Krul to beat - he made no mistake.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Norwich City (Minamino 27)
Takumi Minamino fires Liverpool in front, spanking the ball home from six yards out after being teed up by Divock Origi.
24 min: Norwich free-kick halfway inside the Liverpool half. The hosts defend with a ridiculously high line. Risk and reward, etc. Nothing comes of the set piece.
22 min: There’s a break in play as Norwich winger Milot Rashica receives treatment for an injury. He’s passed fit to continue and the game resumes.
20 min: And another corner. Ibrahima Konate gets his head to the inswinging ball but can’t keep it down. Norwich clear again.
19 min: Another corner for Liverpool, which Kostas Tsmiikas takes. Norwich clear courtesy of Pierre Lees-Melou.
17 min: Norwich full-back Sam Byram is booked for a foul on Diogo Jota.
15 min: Teemu Pukki shoots low, hard, and wide of the far upright, nutmegging Curtis Jones as he did so. That was a chance for Norwich, whose Finnish striker missed an almost identical chance against Southampton on Friday night.
12 min: Milner plays a ball from deep trying to pick out Diogo Jota in the Liverpool penalty area. Christoph Zimmermann does well to put it out for a corner. From that, Liverpool win another after good defensive work from Ben Gibson, who prevents Jota from pulling the ball back into the penalty area from the byline.
11 min: Joe Gomez dispossesses Placheta with a strong tackle, putting the ball out for a Norwich throw-in deep in Liverpool territory.
9 min: Oof! Curtis Jones cuts inside and unleashes a shot. It’s close but no cigar from the Liverpool midfielder, who sees the ball scrape paint off the top of the crossbar.
6 min: Liverpool attack with intent for the first time and win themselves a corner, their first of the game. Norwich City clear the ball and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries a shot from distance. His low effort skids wide of the left post.
5 min: James Milner hoists a cross from the right touchline into the Norwich City penalty area but it sails straight into the arms of Tim Krul.
4 min: A positive start for Norwich. Lukas Rupp plays a ball down the right flank for Teemu Pukki to chase but the Finn’s lack of pace lets him down. Joe Gomez comfortably beats him to the ball and plays a pass to Alisson.
2 min: Mathias Normann tries to play Przemysiaw Placheta in behind Liverpool’s defence with a ball over the top but Alisson is quick off his line and out of his area to clear. Offside.
Liverpool v Norwich City is go ...
1 min: The ball is rolling at Anfield, where both sets of players are wearing their home colours.
Not long now: The teams make their way out on to the Anfield pitch and line up either side of Martin Atkinson and his team of match officials. Kick-off is just a few minutes away.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup: Chelsea are making big headlines off the pitch and on it they are in trouble against Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round. Harry Cornick has just fired the hosts 2-1 ahead at Kenilworth Road as they approach half-time. Scott Murray has the latest ...
Those teams: Jurgen Klopp makes 10 changes to the team that started the Carabao Cup final, with skipper Jordan Henderson the only Wembley starter not to be given the night off.
Norwich make seven changes to the team that surrendered fairly feebly against Southampton on Friday night. Tim Krul is back in goal after recovering from a shoulder injury, while Ben Gibson takes the captain’s armband in the absence of Grant Hanley. Pierre Lees-Melou, Lukas Rupp, Przemyslaw Placheta, Dimitrios Giannoulis, Sam Byram and Christoph Zimmermann all come in.
Liverpool: Alisson, Milner, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Jones, Minamino, Origi, Jota.
Subs: Mane, Adrian, Diaz, Robertson, Matip, Kelleher, Morton, Bradley, Elliott.
Norwich: Krul, Byram, Zimmermann, Gibson, Giannoulis, Rupp, Normann, Lees-Melou, Placheta, Pukki, Rashica.
Subs: Gilmour, Dowell, Tzolis, Sorensen, McLean, Sargent, Gunn, Tomkinson, Rowe.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) March 2, 2022
▪️ Seven changes from Friday
▪️ Rupp and Zimmermann start
▪️ Gibson captains the team#NCFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/FfbrvRkHFu
🔴 #LIVNOR 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 2, 2022
How the Reds line-up for tonight’s #EmiratesFACup fifth-round tie 📋
Tonight’s match officials
- Referee: Martin Atkinson
- Referee’s assistants: Stuart Burt and Nick Hopton
- Fourth official: Mike Dean
- VAR: John Brooks
Early team news
Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino remains sidelined with a groin injury, while Thiago Alcantara, who was reduced to tears after injuring himself in the Carabao Cup final warm-up, remains out with a thigh injury. Following his heroics in Sunday’s final, Caoimhin Kelleher is likely to keep his place in goal.
Norwich skipper Grant Hanley is ruled out through suspension, which means German defender Christoph Zimmerman is likely to come into the side. Full-backs Max Aarons and Brandon Williams were due to be assessed ahead of tonight’s game, but Andrew Omobamidele, Adam Idah and Ozan Kabak are all out.
FA Cup fifth round: Liverpool v Norwich City
There’s a place in the last eight of the FA Cup up for grabs at Anfield tonight, where recently coronated League Cup champions Liverpool host the Premier League’s bottom side Norwich City.
In three meetings between the sides already this season, Liverpool have won by an aggregate score of 9-1 and few give Norwich, who have not made the quarter-finals since 1992, a snowball’s chance in hell of causing an upset tonight.
Kick-off on Merseyside is at the unusual time of 8.15pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
