Liverpool ran out 6-1 winners in our fifth round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion, putting us in our first FA Cup quarter final since winning the competition in 2006.
The tie started off well for the Reds, with Downing forcing a corner early via a deflection and a save from Brezovan. As the corner was taken, Skrtel came off the near post to head from an awkward angle and put Liverpool 1-0 up in the first 10 minutes.
However Brighton were back on level terms on 16 minutes from an unstoppable free kick from Lualua – which made up for the lack of his trademark acrobatics afterwards.
Our lead was restored just before the break. Following another corner, the Brighton keeper clearing as far as Suarez who controlled and shot on goal – only for it to be cleared as far as Glen Johnson who headed on target. Vokes tried to clear but it was deflected behind of the line off Bridcutt.
The second half began with the Reds looking more of a threat. On 51 minutes, Gerrard took a shot from outside the box that looked to be heading wide – but a flick on from Jordan Henderson almost saw Liverpool 3-1 up.
Though we didn’t have to wait long for that scoreline to come true, as the ball broke for Downing running up the left, who tucked it into the middle for Andy Carroll, who put it away clinically.
Our dominance continued and was eventually rewarded with another goal. Gerrard took a shot on goal, which was saved but broke for him again along the touch line. Then, from a tight angle, he put it across goal for Bridcutt to again bundle it into his own net.
Then on 73 minutes, a comedy own goal from Brighton’s Dunk, who decided to try a couple of keep ups in front of the Kop, ended up mistiming his second from his knee with the ball heading into across his own line, putting Liverpool 5-1 up.
Then, despite missing a penalty on 79 mins, Suarez answered the Brighton boos by nodding home Andy Carroll’s placed header only yards in front of goal to round off the scoring.
A deserved victory in the end, and exactly what we needed going into the Carling Cup Final next Sunday.
