Liverpool secured their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a resounding 3-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield as Mohamed Salah returned to dominant form.
Liverpool 3-0 Brighton
FA Cup Fourth Round | Anfield
February 14, 2026
Goals
Jones 42′ (assist: Kerkez)
Szoboszlai 56′ (assist: Salah)
Salah pen 68′ (assist: none)
Stats
Possession: 47%-53%
Shots: 13-17
Big Chances: 2-1
Expected Goals: 1.82-1.22
Team News: 4 changes but no real risks
After sleepness nights mulling over his options and the need to go strong in the FA Cup, Arne Slot made four changes but stuck with his senior players.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool substitute Hugo Ekitike on the bench before the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There was no start for Rio Ngumoha, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Milos Kerkez, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa coming in for Wataru Endo, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike; Jones started at right-back.
Joe Gomez – widely expected to start following Endo’s injury – took up a place on the bench alongside youngsters Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni, Calvin Ramsay and Kieran Morrison.
First half of full-backs and offside flags
Unsurprisingly as an all-Premier League tie it was far from easy for Liverpool early on, with Brighton taking the fight to them from kickoff with an aggressive, expansive approach.
There were promising signs from Kerkez rampaging down the left, including a brilliant touch and cut inside for a chance which was flagged for a marginal offside.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool’s other full-back, Jones, came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening half-hour, assessing the options in front of him before arrowing a left-footed strike which was deflected just wide of Jason Steele’s goal.
Cody Gakpo thought he had put the Reds ahead when he thumped in Szoboszlai’s wide free-kick, but the linesman raised a very late flag to rule the goal out.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The opener eventually came from a combination of the two full-backs: Kerkez with a perfect cross and Jones with a touch in off the crossbar in his first for the club since December 2024.
Salah shines in blistering second half
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai scores the second goal during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With only a goal in it, Brighton came out for the second half looking to pile on the pressure, and it required a smart fingertip stop from Alisson to deny a tap-in as Lewis Dunk headed across goal.
But Liverpool were 2-0 up before the hour mark, with Szoboszlai capping a stunning move on the break as Salah touched Gakpo’s raking long ball into his path for an emphatic finish.
The third of the night was created and scored by Salah, who tore past Ferdi Kadioglu into the box before being brought down by Pascal Gross, with the Egyptian dusting himself off and blasting the penalty into the top corner.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores the third goal from the penalty spot during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With Liverpool assured of the victory Slot made changes with Gomez on for Florian Wirtz, Ngumoha replacing Chiesa and, despite claiming pre-match that the striker was “on the edge” in terms of his game time, Ekitike for Salah.
Ngumoha was robbed of a second senior goal by a lazy linesman, who flagged the winger offside as he bent his effort in despite clearly being onside.
It would have been felt more if Liverpool were not already three goals clear, booking their place in the fifth round ahead of a week off before their trip to Nottingham Forest.
TIA Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah
Liverpool 3-0 Brighton: Match facts
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Liverpool: Alisson; Jones (Ramsay 89′), Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah (Ngumoha 77′), Wirtz (Gomez 71′), Gakpo (Nyoni 89′); Chiesa (Ekitike 77′)
Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Robertson, Gravenberch, Morrison
Brighton: Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke (Boscagli 72′), Dunk, Kadioglu; Hinshelwood, Baleba (Mitoma 62′); Gomez (Rutter 63′), Gross, Howell (Minteh 62′); Kostoulas
Subs not used: Verbruggen, Wieffer, De Cuyper, Milner, Welbeck
Next Match: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League – Sunday, February 22, 2pm (GMT)