Key events
Here’s Curtis Jones:
It was a perfect game. There were loads of goals scored. We didn’t have any injuries. We’re into the next round so a good night overall.
It’s just carry on. We have our goals. Nothing has changed but of course it’s sad for the whole club [he’s talking about Klopp leaving].
I’m more consistent. I’m happy the team is happy all round.
Completely dominant from Liverpool. Norwich played their part and produced the goal of the game thanks to a stunner from Sainz, but there was only ever going to be one winner. A couple of teenagers in Bradley and McCallum played starring roles and the return of Robertson and Alexander-Arnold was the perfect first day of the Klopp swansong. Watford and Southampton await in the next round.
Full-time: Liverpool 5-2 Norwich
Liverpool march on to the fifth round. The (redacted) quadruple remains alive.
GOAL! Liverpool 5-2 Norwich (Gravenberch, 95)
A fifth goal scorer. A ball to the back post from Diaz, who shifted it this way and that before crossing, finds Bradley who meets it with a first-time volley that kicks off the turf and sits up for Gravenberch rushing on to the header.
90+3 min: Liverpool are trying to walk it in. Via flicks and flacks and one-touch tricks. No one shoots. Instead Norwich hack at loose balls and thin air until Gakpo falls over and a drop ball is needed to restart the match from outside Norwich’s box.
90 min: Jota shoots high over the bar after Szoboszlai’s delicious curling cross just evades the run of Jota (I think) near the penalty spot. It falls to Jota who couldn’t help himself.
Bradley has been awarded the player of the match award and fair enough. He’s had an excellent game.
88 min: Long to the rescue again, although his parried save from Alexander-Arnold’s shot is diverted back into danger. But the follow up blazes over the bar. This is starting to feel like an exhibition match.
86 min: Another corner, and the another, finds van Dijk’s head. He can’t steer either of them towards goal. He’s basically being marked by the population of Norwich. But he still gets his head to both. Szoboszlai shoots a low stinger from outside the box and Long gets down low to make a smart save.
84 min: Diaz wins a corner though Stacey isn’t happy. Van Dijk attacks the cross but he’s under more pressure this time. Still, the ball remains alive and Liverpool will have another corner.
82 min: Two more changes for Norwich. Gibbs and Giannoulis replace Fassnacht and McCallum. Still no sign of either of the two goal-keepers on the bench.
79 min: How was that not gone in? I’ll tell you. First it was a stunning save from close range by Long who stuck out a meaty paw to stop the first time shot from Jota after brilliant build up from Liverpool down the right. Then the follow up from Gravenberch is kept out as well. Szoboszlai volleys over from just outside the six-yard box but that was the most difficult of the three chances.
78 min: McConnell makea way for Diaz. A brilliant performance from the teenager. It was his ball that set up the opener and he was impressive throughout the piece.
George Tyrrell has a bone to pick and a bee in his bonnet.
“It’s just lazy journalism,” he says of my comment concerning Klopp’s lack of oil money.
“He’s had as much money available to him as most top world clubs. They haven’t been stuck for a pound , and it’s not like the entire Liverpool team are academy results. Change the record. The guardians [sic] love in with Klopp is embarrassing.”
The amount of money is not the topic here, George. I’m talking about the the source of that money. And for me, that does change the narrative.
75 min: Jota heads wide. Was a tough chance as Alexander-Arnold clipped it in from an inside right channel. Jota shows great strength to work the space but can’t get his head around it to find the target.
73 min: Back to Liverpool bossing the ball and Norwich defending deep. Szoboszlai has a shot blocked from the edge of the area. Both teams taking a breather it seems after a mad 10 minute burst.
70 min: As far as procession goes this has been a belter! Bradley is slid into space inside Norwich’s box. Shoot? Cross to Gakpo on the penalty spot? He takes too long to make his mind up and Norwich snuff out the danger.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-2 Norwich (Sainz, 69)
Stunner! Goal of the game. Sainz picks up the lose ball from 40 yards out with a lovely touch off the chest. He gets it under control as he gallops up field. From 20 yards out he figures, why not, and whips in a gem that curls round the diving Allison and into the top right corner. A beauty!
68 min: Norwich have the ball in the net but only because the off-side flag was delayed. It was a neat finish in the end but Sainz was clearly off in the buildup.
66 min: Alexander-Arnold replaces Nunes. It’s staggering how much world class talent Klopp has assembled without the help of oil money.
Steve Isaac highlights the enviable depth at Liverpool’s disposal right now:
“Strength of the Liverpool squad. Bring 3 international captains on when winning 3-1.”
GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Norwich (van Dijk, 63)
What an introduction that is. A free header from a central position from Szoboszlai’s corner. The skipper finds the net with ease.
62 min: Oh, just deflected over the bar from a Nunez shot. Liverpool steal the ball in midfield and they work it in a flash to their striker in the box. He shoots, but it’s lifted over.
61 min: A triple change for Norwich now. Hanley, Hernandez and Barnes make way. Sorensen, Sainz and Idah enter the scene.
60 min: Norwich managed to stretch Liverpool’s line but they can’t make the move stick as a long diagonal switch from right to left is over hit and bounces away for a corner. Hernandez has it back, though, on the left flank and wins a throw for his side.
58 min: Barnes spots Allison off his line and attempts what would have been one of the best goals in the competition’s history from his own half. He can’t get the elevation and the Liverpool ‘keeper is able to control the ball his his chest after a couple of bounces.
56 min: Triple switch for Liverpool. Robertson returns from injury. Van Dijk takes the armband and Szoboszlai joins the party. They replace Gomez, Konate and Jones.
Hang on… Just been shown a replay of the hand-ball question earlier on and there is no doubt that Hernandez handled it. He almost caught it and threw it away. VAR would have certainly brought that back had Liverpool not scored so quickly.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Norwich (Jota, 53)
Brilliant finish! It’s a howler at the back from Norwich but what a clinical strike that is. Hanley reaches his neck but can’t guide the header back to his keeper. Instead it sits up for Jota and he crunches past Long on the half-volley.
52 min: The Kop appeal for a penalty after the ball pings about in the Norwich box. Was there a hand following that cross from the left? Evidently not as play os waved on.
50 min: Jones is just wide with a curler from range. To the left of the goal – as he’d be looking at it – he aims for the top right corner. He’s not far off and it was certainly worth a pop after some patient build-up from Liverpool.
48 min: Bang! Sara has smoked a shot from range. He’s not far off. Just cut across it which meant it was never curling back towards goal having started just outside the line of the post. But that had Allison diving across just in case.
46 min: Liverpool back where they left off. A blocked shot from Gakpo from a central position inside the box is recycled and Nunez can’t generate enough oomph on his header at the back post a few seconds later. Lovely work from Bradley and Jota in the build up.
Second half underway shortly. No changes as far as I can tell.
Sorry Emmanuel Otiotio, and any other Man United fans I upset earlier:
“Your point about the team/trajectory Klopp is leaving Liverpool in hurts greatly as a long-term United fan. They’re in such a great position to create further success on and off the pitch while we can barely get our chicken cooked right. Big job on Sir Jim’s hands.”
Emmanuel, I’ll do my best to get the message to Big Jim.
Apologies to Martin Jachnik, who wrote in on TAA and Bradley. I took it at face value.
“Hi Daniel, It was definitely a tongue in cheek comment. We seem to have a couple of good options at right back, it could allow Trent to play more often in midfield. Anyway an interesting game, let’s see lots of quality football from both teams.”
Good point. Like many people, I’d love to see TAA have a run in midfield.
Now for the fifth round draw
Now for the fifth round draw:
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Blackburn/Wrexham One v Newcastle
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Bournemouth v Leicester
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Liverpool/Norwich v Watford/Southampton
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Chelsea/Aton Villa v Leeds/Plymouth
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Bristol City/Nottingham Forest v Newport County/Manchester United
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Wolves v Brighton
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Sheffield Wednesday/Coventry City v Maidstone United
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Luton Town v Manchester City
Half-time: Liverpool 2-1 Norwich
Utterly dominant from Liverpool and yet I reckon Norwich would be happier with the score. Their snatch and grab goal from a corner proves that it just takes one chance to cause an upset. But Nunez restored Liverpool’s lead shortly after following the opener from Jones.
Back in a bit.
Two added minutes. Liverpool seem content to just knock it around and wait for the whistle.
45 min: Alisson has to earn his keep. A flicked on header from a long throw from Norwich is on target, but tame. Then the Liverpool stopper must claim a comfortable cross.
43 min: Gomez gets the ball and cries of “shooooooot’ ring out. For a moment he considered it but rightly opted for the switch to the right flank. Maybe he was put off by the encouragement because what should have been an easy ball misses its target and it’ll be a Norwich throw.
“Given the way Conor is playing I think it’s going to be hard for Trent to get a start for the rest of the season.
Surely a fit and firing TAA walks back into the team, no Martin Jachnik? But you’re right. Bradley has been imperious.
40 min: Patience at the back from Liverpool. Jones gets on the ball and injects some thrust into the move. Gee, he’s been impressive. A great tackle from Hernandez ends that attack but Liverpool are back on the ball before Norwich can get past the half-way line.
38 min: Gakpo turns and shoots but can’t connect cleanly as his strike dribbles wide. He’s not playing poorly, but a few half-chances, plus one really good one, means he’s perhaps the one Liverpool player who’ll feel a tad frustrated with his performance so far.
“The best two players on the pitch are Liverpool teenagers, one assist each…
Whoever takes over, Juergen has left a full hand to play with…”
You’re right, Stephen Berkery. A remarkable achievement. Compare this Liverpool squad to the one Sir Alex Ferguson left at Manchester United.
35 min: Gravenbach – who hasn’t stopped running – wins a free-kick off McCallum, the poor Norwich left back who lost the ball before Nunez scored. The cross in is dealt with.
32 min: Liverpool almost have another! Shambolic defending means two men in yellow are desperately lunging to clear from their own line. They just about manage to get it away. I admire their bravery but someone needs to get the message that tippy-tappy at the back ain’t working.
32 min: Gakpo misses a sitter! Should be 3-1. A delicious ball to the back post from midfield finds Bradley at the far post. he cuts back for Gakpo who had to ride the bounce but scuffed the first-time effort from the six-yard box.
30 min: Again Norwich have their pocket picked in their own half. Gibson this time dallying on the ball. Liverpool swarm and win a corner.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Norwich (Nunez, 28)
Order restored. Norwich’s newfound confidence sees them try to play it out from the back. It’s worked to the left flank but Liverpool steal the ball, move it quickly to Nunez up front. His first touch isn’t great but it’s good enough to give him time to shoot. He finds the bottom corner with a poke of his boot and is wheeling away in celebration
27 min: The crowd has quietened a little bit. Not the Norwich fans behind their own goal. Their players have definitely found an extra step since the goal. They’re battling for 50/50s and not allowing Liverpool to settle. Are they starting the believe?
25 min: McCallum, who launched the counter that created the corner that grabbed the goal, is fouled in his own half. Suddenly Norwich look a little more comfortable on the ball.
Never mind. Liverpool pinch it right back and begin another measured attack
24 min: Another counter from Norwich ends with a swinging cross that’s too close to Alisson. Norwich look sharp in transition.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Norwich (Gibson, 22)
Well then! Who saw that coming. Football, eh? A second corner is swung un and Gibson outmuscles his marker at the near post and gets a shoulder, I think, on the ball. Whatever it hit, it ripples the net and Norwich are level.
21 min: Best play from Norwich so far. A counter down the right frees up McCallum who can’t find Barnes but does pick out Fassnacht. He controls and looks to pick out a teammate. Instead it’s out for a corner.
