FA Cup LIVE! Liverpool Cruise Past Brighton with Salah Penalty Sealer

Liverpool dominated Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield, securing a convincing 3-0 victory to advance to the fifth round and bolster manager Arne Slot's trophy hunt.[1][4]

The match kicked off at 8:00 PM GMT, with Liverpool fielding a strong lineup including Alisson Becker in goal, defenders Milos Kerkez, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Curtis Jones; midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai; and forwards Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, and Federico Chiesa. Brighton, struggling in recent form under Fabian Hürzeler, welcomed back Mats Wieffer but missed several players like Adam Webster and Yasin Ayari.[1][2]

The first half was cagey, with Alisson making an early save. Liverpool gained momentum, but Cody Gakpo's goal was ruled offside. In the 42nd minute, Curtis Jones headed home a pinpoint cross from Milos Kerkez to give the Reds a 1-0 halftime lead. Possession was even at 45/55, with Liverpool edging shots 7-6. Key battles included Kerkez drawing a yellow from Brighton's Lewis Dunk, and both Seagulls center-backs booked.[3]

The second half saw Liverpool assert control. Early handball calls and blocked efforts from Salah built pressure. By the 9:33 PM update, Mohamed Salah converted a penalty spot kick for 3-0, cruising past a resilient but outmatched Brighton, who had stunned Manchester United earlier in the tournament.[1][4]

This win ends Liverpool's league inconsistencies post their 4-1 third-round rout of Barnsley, keeping FA Cup and Champions League hopes alive amid a faltering Premier League title defense.[1] Substitutes like Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch were poised to enter as the Reds eased to victory.[2]

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