In round 5 of the 2023/24 FA Cup, Liverpool did not have too many difficulties to defeat Southampton 3-0, in which 18-year-old striker Jayden Danns shined with a double goal.
Goal
Liverpool: Koumas (44′), Danns (73′, 88′)
Following the success after winning the League Cup, coach Jurgen Klopp fielded a squad with many young faces in the match with Southampton. Players like Lewis Koumas, James McConnell, Bobby Clark were all given opportunities. Center-back captain Virgil van Dijk is a rare name in the first team that Klopp assigns as the main starter.
With such a true U21 squad, it is understandable that Liverpool appeared confused in the early stages. At 30 seconds, The Reds’ net vibrated, but fortunately the goal was not recognized for Leeds because of offside. In the 5th minute, Kamaldeen Sulemana made Liverpool fans stunned with a kick that bounced off Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal.
It wasn’t until midway through the first half that Liverpool gradually regained their position in the game and began to create opportunities. In the 44th minute, the home team’s efforts were finally rewarded with Koumas’s opening goal, with a shot that hit a Southampton player and changed direction into the goal.
In the second half, Southampton rallied to find an equalizer. In fact, The Saints had many golden opportunities, but their strikers unfortunately missed them. Attacking a lot but being ungrateful, Southampton had to receive bitter results.
In the 73rd minute, Harvey Elliott cut the ball and then let Danns cross for a technical finish to increase the score to 2-0 for Liverpool. By this time, Southampton gradually collapsed mentally. Two minutes before the official end of the match, Danns completed a double for a 3-0 victory
for Liverpool.
Thus, Liverpool won a ticket to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, facing MU. Enter
On March 2, Klopp and his team will return to the Premier League as the first guest
Nottingham in round 27.
Squad
Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk (Konate 46), Tsimikas;
McConnell (Mac Allister 62), Gomez, Clark; Elliott (Nyoni 75), Gakpo
(Gordon 90), Koumas (Danns 62).
Southampton: Lumley; Bree (Walker-Peters 58), (Harwood-Bellis 75),
Stephens, Bednarek, Manning (Smallbone 69); Aribo, Charles, Rothwell
(Adams 69); Edozie, Mara, Sulemana (A Armstrong 58).