Football

Liverpool fail to sparkle as Wolves go through to FA Cup fourth round

January 8, 2019 11:44 am

The second-string Liverpool side failed to sparkle as Ruben Neves’ superb second-half strike sent Wolves through to the FA Cup fourth round.

Wolves defeated Liverpool 2-1.

The Liverpool side featured three teenagers making their full debuts.

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Reds boss Jurgen Klopp made nine changes to his starting XI, which included 17-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones and 18-year-old Rafael Camacho.

They were joined by Dutch defender Ki-Jana Hoever – at 16, the club’s third youngest debutant – in the sixth minute following an injury to Dejan Lovren.

Wolves found it difficult to trouble the inexperienced backline until the 38th minute when Raul Jimenez fired them ahead following an error by midfielder James Milner.

Divock Origi levelled for the visitors six minutes after the break with the side’s first effort on target, when he fired a brilliant strike through the legs of Leander Dendoncker and past goalkeeper John Ruddy.

But that parity lasted four minutes as Neves launched a venomous dipping shot from 31 yards that beat Simon Mignolet at his near post.


Wolves celebrate [Source: AFP]

Xherdan Shaqiri’s free-kick, magnificently pushed on to the post by John Ruddy, was the Reds’ only other effort of note.

Wolves, who knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup for the second time in three seasons, will be away to the winners of the tie between Stoke and Shrewsbury in the fourth round.

Fourth-round draw

Swansea v Gillingham

Wimbledon v West Ham

Shrewsbury or Stoke v Wolves

Millwall v Everton

Brighton v West Brom

Bristol City v Bolton

Accrington v Derby or Southampton

Doncaster v Oldham

Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday or Luton

Newcastle or Blackburn v Watford

Middlesbrough v Newport

Manchester City v Burnley

Barnet v Brentford

Portsmouth v QPR

Arsenal v Manchester United

Crystal Palace v Tottenham

[Source: BBC]