Liverpool booked an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United with a 3-0 win against Southampton; Lewis Koumas gave Jurgen Klopp’s side a first-half lead before substitute Jayden Danns scored twice in front of The Kop; Southampton were guilty of squandering a series of chances.
Liverpool’s youthful stars continue to shine, as Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns, both 18, scored their first goals for the club in a 3-0 win against Southampton, advancing to the FA Cup quarterfinals against Manchester United.
Jurgen Klopp fielded another young lineup with an average age of 23, and it was their youngest starting, Koumas, son of former Premier League player Jason, who opened the scoring shortly before halftime with a deflected effort on his professional debut.
Liverpool, on the other hand, rode their luck at times at Anfield, with Southampton wasting numerous good scoring chances – Kamaldeen Sulemana hit the post, while Sekou Mara and Joe Aribo missed their most obvious opportunities.
Liverpool’s Lewis Koumas scored his first goal in his senior debut, while Danns struck twice in the final minutes against the Championship side. The first was a brilliant chip over Saints keeper Joe Lumley, which he finished into an empty net after Conor Bradley’s attempt was parried.
The Reds, who won the Carabao Cup on Sunday, will now travel to Old Trafford for the FA Cup last-eight clash on March 16-17.
How Klopp’s Kindergarten Won Again…
Southampton scored after 30 seconds at The Kop End on Mara’s one-on-one, but the Saints striker was clearly offside.
Player Ratings
Liverpool: Kelleher (9), Bradley (8), Quansah (8), Van Dijk (7), Tsimikas (7); Gomez (8), McConnell (7), Clark (8); Elliott (8), Gakpo (6), Koumas (7).
Substitutions: Danns (9), Mac Allister (7), Nyoni (n/a), Gordon (n/a).
Southampton: Lumley (5); Bree (6), Stephens (6), Bednarek (5), Manning (4); Rothwell (6), Charles (5), Aribo (6); Edozie (7), Mara (5), and Sulemana (6)
Substitutions: Walker-Peters (n/a), A.Armstrong (5), Adams (5), Smallbone (4), Harwood-Bellis
Player of the match: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool)
Sulemana sidefooted into the post following brilliant midfield work from Aribo, then Kelleher superbly stopped Mara with two close-range shots.
