Carabao Cup sees Liverpool advance 3 to 2 against Brighton.
Despite a completely revamped line-up, Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot, brought another win under his belt in the ongoing Carabao Cup. A stellar performance from debutant Czech goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros and a rapid back-to-back goal streak from Cody Gakpo steered the defending champions to the quarter-finals. Manager Slot topped off his exceptional start to his tenure in English football with seven wins in his first eight away games in all competitions.
For Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton’s manager, this match marked the first significant setback since he started his stint in English football. Brighton, despite their efforts, couldn’t break their near 50-year record of failing to move past this stage of the competition.
They attempted a comeback with efforts from Simon Adingra and Tariq Lamptey, even after Luis Díaz appeared to have sealed the match for Liverpool. However, Brighton fell short of levelling the scoreline before the upcoming game at Anfield.
Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa’s absences because of injuries fouled up Slot’s forward approach. As a consequence, Dominik Szoboszlai filled in as the leading forward while Mohamed Salah was among the eight modifications from the team that drew against Arsenal on Sunday. Tyler Morton started in the centre-pitch alongside Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones, with third-choice goalkeeper Jaros making his full debut in the number 57 shirt.
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Brighton fans, still smarting from the clutch-time loss to Wolves this past weekend, would have welcomed Evan Ferguson’s latest chance after ending a barren spell of close to a year. Hürzeler made significant lineup changes, assuring fans that the cup competition was not to be taken lightly, given the team’s history of not progressing beyond this point since the 1979 defeat by eventual champions, Nottingham Forest. Among Hürzeler’s alterations was the introduction of Brajan Gruda, an energetic £25 million import from Mainz.
However, Brighton’s initial actions suggested they were intent on making it easier for their rivals. A risky attempt to play-start from their territory by Jason Steele almost bore fruit for Szoboszlai. Joe Gomez also suffered a momentary lapse, not reacting quickly enough to Jan Paul van Hecke’s overhead ball aimed at Adingra. Lamptey charged after the passed ball, however, goalkeeper Jaros managed to avert the danger, much to the visiting fans’ relief.
Brighton’s substitutes were eager to make their case for a place in the manager’s plans, and as the first half developed they seemed to enjoy greater possession. A long-range attempt by Julio Enciso drew gasps but failed to hit the mark. Liverpool, meanwhile, didn’t miss their chance to counterattack, with Steele managing to fend off a shot from Szoboszlai. Luis Díaz, however, couldn’t convert the rebound.
The second half commenced without Ferdi Kadioglu, but Brighton’s defensive right was to be the chink in their armour, conceding a goal barely seconds after the start. Morton capitalised on a rogue ball following a goal kick, and Gakpo did the rest, firing off an unimpeded ripper into the top corner. Brighton was nearly on level terms instantly, but the brilliant Jaros produced an exceptional save to divert Adingra’s point blank header from Lamptey’s cross. Ferguson and Gruda also came close, but both missed their targets.
Liverpool were teetering on danger, yet a golden chance to soothe their anxieties arose when Lamptey lost control of the ball. All of a sudden, Gakpo was approaching the goal with intent, but chose to pass to Szoboszlai, allowing Steele to swoop in for a save. However, selflessness was absent a moment later when the Dutchman beat a hapless Lamptey and drove the ball into the back of the net with a forceful strike beating the Brighton goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, Brighton received a second chance after a misjudged pass from Jarell Quansah, leading to Adingra profiting at close quarters once Jaros had stopped the initial effort. Any dreams of turning the tables seemed to evaporate when Diaz dispatched a shot from a poor clearance by Joël Veltman, but a deflected effort from Lamptey ensured a tense ending which Slot must be grateful to have negotiated victoriously. – Guardian