Post Match report for the Liverpool - FA Cup R4 game - Saturday, 14th February 2026
FA CUP 25/26: Liverpool V Brighton - 14/2/26 R4
* * * * * RED MENACE TO THIN BLUE LINE * * * * *
RESULT: 3-0 . . . (h-t 1-0)
VENUE: Anfield, Liverpool - second tie of 4 rounds to date . Sat 8:00pm.
BEFORE KICKOFF: we had recently visited this huge northwest stadium during mid December for the Prem away fixture and suffered defeat.
Travelling support had daylight hours for the second journey to Merseyside and arrived knowing odds were again stacked against us tonight.
WEATHER: cold . GATE: tba . KIT: blue & white . ATMOSPHERE: when will luck change?
FABIAN HURZELER had endured quite a desperate week previously and was prepared to come out fighting by way of response.
FH thought to field most of those who kicked off in the away Prem fixture loss on last Wednesday night.
SQUAD: 3 Julio 7 March 33 ORiley 38 McGill (gk) 51 Tasker 54 Simmonds 58 Oriola
INJURED: 26 Ayari . REHAB: 4 Webster 9 Tzimas
OOL: 8 Gruda 14 Watson 16 Cashin 28 Ferguson 32 Sarmiento 39 Rushworth (gk) 40 Buonanotte 42 Coppola
STARTING SHAPE: 4-3-3
TEAM . . . . . . . . . 23 Steele
. 34 Veltman 6 van Hecke 5 Dunk 24 Kadioglu
. . . 17 Baleba 30 Gross 13 Hinshelwood
. . . . . 53 Howell . . . 19 Kostoulas . . . 25 Gomez
SUBS: 10 Rutter (62), 11 Minteh (62), 22 Mitoma (62), 21 Boscagli (72), 27 Wieffer (81)
BENCH: 1 Verbruggen 18 Welbeck 20 Milner 29 de Cuyper
GOALS:
1-0 - 42 . locals score first following sluggish defending at a psychological moment approaching halftime.
2-0 - 56 . useful moves & strike from the home outfit secure a second goal as travellers fail to defend properly.
3-0 - 68 . a penalty gives the final result some domestic flattery.
YELLOWS: Dunk 15, Gomez 33, Baleba 41, van Hecke 67
CHANGES: 62 Rutter, Minteh & Mitoma for Gomez, Howell & Baleba
72 Boscagli for van Hecke . 81 Wieffer for Hinshelwood
FIRST HALF: a bright opening from visitors petered out quite quickly.
Hosts take the lead just prior to the break.
SECOND HALF: hosts win the tie early into the second period.
Then convert a spot kick.
IN THE END: poor finishing by Seagulls notched a third fail to score stat in seven days.
NUMBERS: poss 47%-53%, on target 5-3, off target 8-14, corners 5-6,
fouls 15-19, yellows 0-4, subs 5-5, shape 4231-433
FS
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