A much-changed Liverpool continued their Carabao Cup defence at Brighton on Wednesday – and the Reds are within the final eight following a Cody Gakpo-inspired 3-2 victory.
Brighton 2-3 Liverpool
Carabao Cup Fourth Spherical | Amex StadiumOctober 30, 2024
Objectives: Adingra 81′, Lamptey 90′; Gakpo 46′ 62′, Diaz 84′
Viteszlav Jaros – 8 (out of 10)
A full senior debut for our No. 3 keeper, who made a large one-on-one block quarter-hour in, spreading himself nicely to avoid wasting. That got here after some good footwork to evade presses and challenges on him in a frantic opening spell.
However overlook all that – Jaros has himself a photograph for the ages after making an outstanding fingertip save onto the submit proper after half time, having been shifting the wrong way one tempo earlier.
Additional good handiwork on excessive balls within the second half and one other first rate block late on, however couldn’t forestall the rebound stepping into, nor a late deflected one.
Conor Bradley – 7
A welcome return to availability for our Northern Irish full-back and straight into the lineup, the place he confirmed loads of thrust and journey down the flank, typically making runs infield which weren’t noticed from deep.
Did battle a bit defensively in opposition to Adingra, however Brighton have a few of the finest and quickest broad attackers going so no large hurt achieved and he stored going all through.
Jarell Quansah – 6
Gametime has been rare for the younger defender this time period and which may have been mirrored in a couple of early touches, however he was typically constructive, on the entrance foot and fast to make a couple of challenges when the Reds had been pushed so excessive upfield that he was deepest, however nonetheless an excellent 15 metres inside Brighton‘s field.
Second half gained a couple of headers at vital moments and made an excellent (and agile) near-post block to clear a Mitoma cross behind late on.
Nevertheless, he additionally overran the ball with ten minutes to go to present an opportunity to Brighton – which they ultimately scored from.
Recovered nicely from the setback to chase again Mitoma and make a wonderful late sort out… after which deflected the ball into his personal web for 3-2 – and was instantly subbed. Harsh.
Joe Gomez – 8
Robust first half as he made a couple of vital cut-outs in opposition to Brighton‘s counter, then one other normal-but-important toe-poke again to his keeper in the beginning of the second half as Brighton appeared to run by on objective.
Environment friendly and tidy, a extremely good efficiency the place and when Liverpool wanted a senior head.
Andrew Robertson – 6
Time will inform whether or not this match was the start of a altering of the guard, as some have hinted needs to be the case with Robbo’s declining type, however he was captain on the night time and supplied some stability amid so many modifications elsewhere.
Stored everybody onside for Brighton‘s huge likelihood by the center early on, whereas Tariq Lamptey had him on toast too many instances for consolation. Had one huge likelihood to attain however a low near-post effort was saved after a wonderful run.
Additionally made a significant and wonderful clearance on the far submit late within the sport. Defensively bought higher however you ponder whether the tempo he struggled with was a sign of him being about to come back out of the facet.
Wataru Endo – 6
A reasonably fiery exhibiting when it comes to attempting to win the ball again within the centre, however his passing was – unsurprisingly given lack of rhythm – typically secure or backwards, irking Slot greater than as soon as on the touchline. Overhit a routine cross into the field which might have freed Cody Gakpo one-on-one.
Did a Gravenberch flip simply earlier than the hour mark however then despatched his cross straight to Van Hecke with no one in crimson close by.
Tyler Morton – 6
Central together with Endo, and positively bought himself concerned loads, however typically only a yard off the tempo be it in deciding the cross or making his run within the first half.
Began the second in nice vogue although – he lobbed the cross over the defence which ended up as an help.
Luis Diaz – 7
Proper-wing Diaz isn’t as unpredictable and relentless because the left-wing model, and he had a troublesome begin with a couple of errant touches and Kadioglu proving a troublesome participant to bypass on the dribble.
However within the second half we noticed the worth of Diaz off the ball: Liverpool underneath stress, however doubling up again with Bradley to halt the fixed runs from Adingra and co. Additionally sparked a three-on-one counter after profitable the ball that the Reds in some way wasted, earlier than wrapping up the scoring with a low shot in off the submit.
Cody Gakpo – 9 – Man of the Match
Not centre-forward as was maybe anticipated, however again in his now-usual-again left wing function, and put in a powerful sufficient exhibiting to recommend he would possibly now be the beginning possibility on that flank, even not contemplating his targets.
Laborious-working monitoring again, some good hold-up play and all the time a keen runner as an out-ball. A fully belting rocket of a objective for the primary, not a lot bent as walloped into the highest nook with a traditional cutting-in, then notched the second with a blistering low end on the angle.
Might have had an help too however Szoboszlai wasted the possibility – though it additionally wasn’t the cleanest cross.
Subbed on 70, whereas Diaz stayed on, hints that he’ll be beginning on Saturday too.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 6
The beginning XIs gave rise to a suggestion Szoboszlai is likely to be on the wing in a entrance three; as a substitute he and Curtis Jones had been a two-pronged falsest of false nines, dropping in and urgent forward with no recognised striker on the pitch.
Perhaps Dominik was, nominally, the chosen “ahead” as such, however he definitely didn’t maintain fort there or play any form of goal man.
Are you able to scuff a header? If that’s the case, that’s what he did to ship one simply broad on a clumsy rebound, however past that didn’t actually bother sufficient within the closing third. Missed an absolute sitter one on one, not a tidy sufficient first contact even when the aforementioned cross wasn’t completely variety.
Curtis Jones – 7
One other new function for Curtis, one which was far nearer to his Academy days beginning positions than life at senior stage, however he dovetailed in diligent vogue with Szoboszlai, pressed excessive, gained the ball again as early as he may and nonetheless dropped again into midfield when wanted.
Later after the subs he was again in deeper midfield and instantly appeared unimaginable to get the ball off once more.
Substitutes
Alexis Mac Allister (on for Endo, 63′) – 7 – Neat touches, deep function. Couldn’t chase again rapidly sufficient for the objective.
Trey Nyoni (on for Morton, 63′) – 7 – Except for one overly adventurous flick on the flip in midfield which gave away possession he was an excellent addition to the pitch, shifting the ball nicely and firing one effort broad.
Darwin Nunez (on for Szoboszlai, 70′) – 6 – Not an excessive amount of went his means however the standard endeavour.
Mohamed Salah (on for Gakpo, 70′) – 6 – Barely bought a kick down the wing.
Ibrahima Konate (on for Quansah, 90′) – N/A – Simply to tidy up in stoppage time. Instantly bought booked (wrongly).
Subs not used: Kelleher, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Younger
Arne Slot – 8
Nicely, we gained.
Eight modifications to the group made it clear the place Slot’s priorities (rightly) lie, and it isn’t to present Brighton a simple run of issues on the weekend in opposition to a drained facet.
Lining up the XI to the extent that at the least one participant was all the time going to be in an uncommon spot, so it was apparent that this was a match he wished to handle minutes in firstly.
The false 9 (or simply Szoboszlai up prime, nevertheless you see it) didn’t actually work however there have been nonetheless particular patterns, endeavour and probabilities being created to make it clear this was a Liverpool and Slot group.
We want different squad members match and to depend on in the course of the yr so we can not complain at group alterations, and his subs strengthen the extent on the pitch as the sport wore on.
Questions could also be raised over his remedy of Quansah, however minutes had been managed nicely to make sure few ‘first XI’ gamers performed 90.
It was nearer than it wanted to be in the long run, however the Reds stay within the competitors… and we face the identical opponent once more in a couple of days. Classes discovered?
Brighton 2-3 Liverpool
