Liverpool 4-0 Accrington Stanley: Reds march on in FA Cup as Rio Ngumoha impresses on debut | OneFootball

Premier League leaders rarely looked troubled at Anfield

Trent Alexander-Arnold led from the front as Liverpool eased into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 victory over Accrington.

A week after one of the worst performances of his career against Manchester United, the England international, captain in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, put in a commanding display which was topped with the important second goal.

While the level of opposition had to be taken into account - League Two Stanley are 86 places lower than the Premier League leaders - Alexander-Arnold was determined to ensure there was no upset.

He had a hand in the counter-attack which saw Diogo Jota open the scoring before whipping in a brilliant, angled shot just before the break.

The 18-year-old Jayden Danns, one of the young stars of last year's Carabao Cup final victory, scored his third FA Cup goal in only his second appearance in the competition before fellow substitute Federico Chiesa marked an encouraging 45-minute cameo with his first goal since joining from Juventus in the summer.

If there had been any doubt about Alexander-Arnold's commitment to the cause with his contract expiring in the summer, his desire and ability to control the game nominally from right-back showed real leadership in the 60 minutes he was on the pitch in a freezing yet torpid atmosphere of a 12.15pm kick-off.

In reality, the 26-year-old, whose appearance off the bench in the controversial midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham improved Liverpool's performance, spent most of the game alongside Tyler Morton in central midfield in Arne Slot's 4-1-4-1 formation, with Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai operating as twin number 10s.

Stanley had successfully packed the central area in order to stifle Alexander-Arnold's creativity, but they were caught cold from their own free-kick in the final third.

Ben Woods' cross was half-cleared, but Nelson Khumbeni's aimless pass forward only picked out Szoboszlai, who immediately moved the ball on to Alexander-Arnold in the centre circle.

He prodded a pass forward to Darwin Nunez, who squared for Jota to sidefoot home his seventh goal of an injury-hit season.

But, having run the show from midfield, Alexander-Arnold stepped forward to make the difference in attack.

Rio Ngumoha, who became the youngest player to start for Liverpool at the age of 16 years and 135 days, had a shot blocked and, when the ball was recycled to Alexander-Arnold, he whipped an effort over the defence and goalkeeper William Crellin, whose outstretched foot had earlier denied the full-back a goal.

Ngumoha had enjoyed some encouraging moments and that meant, when Chiesa was introduced for the second half, it was Szoboszlai who made way.

The Italian substitute, whose Anfield career has failed to take off due to fitness problems, enjoyed his time against League Two opponents as he twice had shots deflected into the side-netting and hit a post before his late goal, in contrast to the ineffective Nunez, who was visibly trying too hard to end his run of one goal in 11 matches.

With Liverpool comfortable, Stanley finally sensed an opportunity and Josh Woods almost took it in spectacular style by smashing a shot against the crossbar, although Shaun Whalley's header over from six yards was less impressive.

They would not get another chance as Danns, on for Ngumoha, helped create his own goal in the 76th minute by winning the ball, driving forward and, when Chiesa's shot was parried by Crellin, lashing home in front of the Kop.

But Chiesa was not to be denied and he eventually beat Crellin inside the goalkeeper's left-hand upright he had targeted all game.