Liverpool overtook League Two (fourth tier) Accrington Stanley as first-half goals from Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold and half-time strikes from Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa secured a 4-0 victory in Saturday’s FA Cup third round clash.
Liverpool took the lead when Alexander-Arnold sent Darwin Nunez down the right just before the break as Liverpool counter-attacked from an Accrington free-kick. The Uruguayan crossed the ball to Jota in the penalty area, who scored with a shot.
“They offered a lot and first-team football is difficult and they are big boys, but it was quite a challenge,” Danns, 18, told ITV. All three of Liverpool’s goals were scored by the teenager in the FA Cup, including two last season against Southampton .
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The hosts took the lead when Alexander-Arnold sent Darwin Nunez down the right just before the break and Liverpool counter-attacked from an Accrington free-kick. The Uruguayan crossed the ball to Jota in the penalty area, who scored with a shot.
Liverpool doubled their advantage just before the break when Alexander-Arnold found the top corner with a perfectly placed shot from outside the box into the far top corner.
16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who made history as the youngest Liverpool player to start a competitive match or appear for the club in the FA Cup, was replaced in the 72nd minute by Danns, who scored four minutes later after an intervention by Billy Crellin. from Chiesa he was replaced by the Liverpool-born striker.
Striker Chiesa then got on the scoresheet in the 90th minute, firing into the bottom corner after an earlier shot had hit the woodwork, marking the Italian’s first goal for Liverpool.
Nunez’s early misses from inside the box extended Liverpool’s wait for a breakthrough as he missed the ball from Harvey Elliott’s header and shot wide when Everton loanee Crellin stopped to deny Alexander-Arnold.
Accrington, who had not had a single shot on target in the first half, came close to scoring in the 57th minute but Josh Woods’ shot went over the crossbar at Anfield, the stadium where his father worked as a match steward.
“It was surreal. I tried to enjoy it and stay calm. I was a little nervous in the first half, but in the second half I was more relaxed,” Woods said.
Eight minutes later Shaun Whalley found Donald Love unmarked in the Liverpool penalty area, but the Scottish defender’s header went over the bar and Accrington, who had just over 21% of possession in the match, failed to put any visible pressure on the hosts.
“Kudos to them (Accrington). I think they showed their style of play, which is a great compliment for us,” said Liverpool manager Arne Slot. “Of course, in the end, the difference in quality makes a big difference.”
Premier League leaders Liverpool face third-placed Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
