Liverpool booked their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time under Jurgen Klopp with a 2-1 victory over Norwich, with Takumi Minamino in excellent form.
Liverpool 2-1 Norwich
FA Cup Fifth Round, Anfield
March 2, 2022
Goals
Minamino 27′ (assist – Origi)
Minamino 39′ (assist – none)
Rupp 76′
Sometimes a result can seem guaranteed before a team even makes the trip to Anfield, and Norwich‘s 500-mile round journey to Merseyside for an 8.15pm midweek kickoff was set up as one of those.
It was a downtrodden Norwich that emerged from the tunnel, with seven changes from their 2-0 loss to Southampton five days previous, including three-quarters of their back four.
Liverpool, with 10 changes of their own from the League Cup final, dominated from the off, with the lively Curtis Jones hitting the bar with a bent effort from range early on.
Just before the half-hour mark, the Reds had grabbed their first of the night, with Minamino the recipient of a fine team move as an unselfish Divock Origi teed him up for a great finish at the far post.
Soon after, Minamino had made it 2-0, this time with an unstoppable blast that hammered in via the post, having seen a corner knocked down into his path.
HT: Liverpool 2-0 Norwich
There was an enforced change for both sides at the break, with Jones unable to continue due to a thigh issue, leaving him to make way for Harvey Elliott.
It didn’t stifle Liverpool’s momentum, and minutes after kickoff, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – who had struggled to get into the game – struck the outside of the post with a low drive.
The Reds’ dominance gave Klopp the opportunity to rest his captain and hand another vital opportunity to the 19-year-old Tyler Morton, who replaced Jordan Henderson on the hour for his ninth appearance of the season.
A dip in Liverpool’s intensity handed Norwich a gateway back into the game, and a swerving shot from Lukas Rupp reduced the deficit with 15 minutes to play.
Both Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane were sent on for a boost of energy and quality, and the Reds ensured a place in the quarter-finals with a comfortable end to the tie.
TIA Man of the Match: Takumi Minamino
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Liverpool: Alisson; Milner, Gomez, Konate, Tsimikas; Henderson (Morton 60′), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones (Elliott 46′); Minamino, Jota (Diaz 84′), Origi (Mane 84′)
Subs not used: Adrian, Kelleher, Matip, Robertson, Bradley
Norwich: Krul; Byram, Zimmermann, Gibson, Giannoulis; Normann (Gilmour 60′), Rupp, Lees-Melou; Placheta (Sargent 46′), Rashica (Rowe 60′), Pukki (Dowell 60′)
Subs not used: Gunn, Tomkinson, Sorensen, McLean, Tzolis
Next match: West Ham (H) – Premier League – Saturday, March 5, 5.30pm (GMT)
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