Postmortem: Liverpool Cruise Past Accrington Stanley in FA Cup Third Round | OneFootball

Liverpool 4 – 0 Accrington Stanley – The CL Postmortem

This was a game that offered the opportunity to Accrington Stanley who are struggling to thrive in English Football League Two, as well as the chance to glimpse some potential stars of the future from within the Liverpool ranks. On a frosty Saturday lunchtime, the stage was set for either a giant killing or the expected progression of one of the world’s greatest clubs. Luckily for the Anfield support, the latter was what transpired in a thoroughly professional outing and comprehensive victory.

Below is how the team lined up, with match details following.

The Starting Eleven

GK – Caoimhin Kelleher

RB – Trent Alexander Arnold (c)

RCB – Jarell Quansah

LCB – Wataru Endō

LB – Kostas Tsimikas

CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

ACM – Diogo Jota

CM – Tyler Morton

RF – Harvey Elliott

CF – Darwin Núñez

LF – Rio Ngumoha

Subs

Federico Chiesa – Dominik Szoboszlai (45 mins)

Conor Bradley – Trent Alexander Arnold (60 mins)

James McConnell – Tyler Morton (60 mins)

Jayden Danns – Rio Ngumoha (72 mins)

Trey Nyoni – Wataru Endō (78 mins)

Photo: IMAGO

Goals (Assisted by)

Liverpool 1 – 0 Accrington Stanley

Diogo Jota (Darwin Núñez) – 28 mins

Liverpool 2 – 0 Accrington Stanley

Trent Alexander Arnold (Dominik Szoboszlai) – 45 mins

Liverpool 3 – 0 Accrington Stanley

Jayden Danns (Federico Chiesa) – 76 mins

Liverpool 4 – 0 Accrington Stanley

Federico Chiesa (Trey Nyoni) – 90 mins

Important Match Stats

Possession

Liverpool 79% – 21% Accrington Stanley

Total Shots

Liverpool 17 – 4 Accrington Stanley

Corner Kicks

Liverpool 8 – 6 Accrington Stanley

The First Half

The opening period of the game was shaky for the hosts as they tried to thwart the ambitious efforts of Accrington. The away side pressed the Liverpool players with intent, and there were only a couple of half-chances for the Reds’ starting centre forward, Darwin Núñez, who was unable to capitalize. The teenage prodigy, Rio Ngumoha, played with confidence, attempting to attack his opponents every time he received the ball. With Tyler Morton acting as the screening presence in front of a defence led by the Japanese warrior, Wataru Endō, it was the returning Dominik Szoboszlai who injected power and urgency into Liverpool’s attacking play.

Diogo Jota operated as a second striker behind Núñez, and eventually, the two combined to open the scoring. As has happened multiple times this season, a situation where a set piece was defended and cleared led to a swift Liverpool counterattack.

Photo: IMAGO

The captain for the day, Trent Alexander-Arnold, advanced the ball into the path of Núñez, who drove half the length of the pitch before squaring it to Jota, who slotted it home from close range. The score moved to 1-0, and the eight-time FA Cup winners never looked back.

As Harvey Elliott and the 16-year-old Ngumoha probed from their respective wide positions, the pressure finally told, and a second goal arrived emphatically. A cleared defensive effort reached Dominik Szoboszlai, who passed the ball to Trent Alexander-Arnold. With the club’s vice-captain perfectly positioned 25 yards from goal, he launched an unstoppable shot into the far corner, prompting an eruption of cheers from the stadium. Following a difficult week for the world-class fullback, this moment seemed like a reprieve and perhaps a catalyst for him to sign a new long-term contract and commit his future to his boyhood club.

The half ended with the scoreline looking ominous for Accrington, and the Reds prepared to make changes for the second half.

The Second Half

At the start of the second half, the Liverpool head coach made one change, sending on the famous Italian, Federico Chiesa, in place of Dominik Szoboszlai. As the game settled into a pattern of Liverpool attacking and Accrington defending, the continued strength of both Jarell Quansah and his central defensive partner, Wataru Endō, formed a solid foundation for the hosts that held firm for most of the game. Caoimhin Kelleher, the chosen goalkeeper for this competition, had been relatively inactive until that point, and apart from some sporadic work, he would remain a bystander while effectively retaining and recycling possession when necessary.

After some substitutions and a gradual increase in quality from Chiesa, the third goal finally came. After Chiesa’s well-placed shot was thwarted, the rebound found its way to Jayden Danns, who sent it into the roof of the net. Following a surge of attacking intent, the scoring was capped off when the 27-year-old summer signing, Chiesa, saw his frantic attacking efforts pay off with a well-placed shot that nestled into the bottom corner from a distance.

The match ended with the result both assured and deserved.

Post-Match Verdict

Arne Slot got everything right yesterday, which bodes well for his upcoming trip to face the only team that has beaten his Premier League leaders this season. Liverpool’s next challenge is an away match against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, providing an opportunity to right the previous wrong.

Steven Smith’s Pre-match Prediction:

Liverpool 4 – 2 Accrington Stanley