Match report as Takumi Minamino strikes twice for Liverpool in the first half before Lukas Rupp's late effort pulls one back for Norwich at Anfield; win sends Reds into last eight of the FA Cup for first time under Jurgen Klopp
Thursday 3 March 2022 06:34, UK
Carabao Cup winners Liverpool reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time under Jurgen Klopp, with Takumi Minamino's double helping them to a 2-1 fifth-round win over Norwich at Anfield.
Liverpool made 10 changes from the side which won at Wembley on Sunday but still had too much for Premier League bottom club Norwich, with Minamino lashing home twice in the first half to put his side on course for their fourth victory over the Canaries this season.
Lukas Rupp did give the visitors hope late on, seizing the invitation to shoot from back-peddling Joe Gomez with 13 minutes to play, but the Reds deservedly saw out the final stages and can now look ahead to Thursday's last-eight draw.
That draw will be made amid growing chatter about Liverpool's chances of pulling off an unprecedented quadruple, given they are in a strong position in their Champions League last-16 tie with Inter Milan and, in the Premier League, have a six-point gap to leaders Manchester City with a game in hand and a trip to the Etihad Stadium to come.
While Liverpool supporters will be dreaming of more silverware, the painful reality is inescapable for Norwich fans, who will see their side return to the relegation battle and a potentially-pivotal clash with Brentford this weekend on the back of a fourth defeat on the spin.
The visitors started positively on Wednesday but could have gone behind on nine minutes to a fine curling effort from Curtis Jones which clipped the bar, and they then gave their hosts some help with some slack marking soon after.
Divock Origi had far too much time seven yards out to control and lay-off Kostas Tsimikas' cross for Minamino to blast in the first goal on 27 minutes and the Japan international was in plenty of space when Ben Gibson's flick on a Liverpool corner allowed the forward to hammer home his second goal (39).
The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with sub Josh Sargent shooting wide as Norwich showed early intent before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired against a post from a similar position to Jones as Liverpool reclaimed control.
After seeing a handball appeal against Gibson waved away, Diogo Jota should have made it three - matching the number Liverpool scored against Norwich at this venue 11 days ago - when he headed over, but instead it was the visitors who scored next.
Sargent found Rupp in space between the lines and, with no pressure on him, the Norwich man struck home from 20 yards.
Eighteen-year-old Jonathan Rowe threatened to grab a dramatic equaliser from a tight angle as Norwich pushed forwards but Alisson was alert to it and, with sub Luis Diaz looking dangerous at the other end, Liverpool ultimately eased through the final stages to ensure their name goes into the hat on Thursday.
Minamino scored four goals in five games to send Liverpool to the final of the Carabao Cup but did not play a minute of the final on Sunday. However, he made his mark in the FA Cup on Wednesday making it three goals in three appearances in this competition this season with a well-taken first-half double.
Afterwards, Klopp was full of praise for the 27-year-old, saying Minamino's performance against Norwich was his best for the club so far.
"He's an incredible player," the Liverpool boss told ITV. "[This was] the best game he's had for us. He played a super game, was a constant threat, kept all the balls... I'm really happy for him.
"Without him we wouldn't be in the quarter-finals. Without him we wouldn't have been in the final of the Carabao Cup."
Norwich boss Dean Smith was left frustrated with how his side conceded the first goal of the match and believed it had an important impact on the way the rest of the half was played, leaving the visitors too much to do after the break.
"I thought the first 20 minutes we asked some questions," said Smith. "They had more possession but we stuck to a game plan we had. I thought the goal was a soft one to give away and they became comfortable after that first goal and it became very hard for us and we lost a little bit of faith.
"At half-time we rallied and put in a much better second half performance."
Liverpool will next host West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday at 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports.
Norwich will next face Brentford in the Premier League on the same day at 3pm.
