Liverpool reached the FA Cup fifth round with an entertaining victory over Norwich in their first game since manager Jurgen Klopp announced he would leave at the end of the season.
Anfield’s long goodbye to Jurgen Klopp began with a comfortable 5-2 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Norwich.
The Liverpool boss, who on Friday announced his departure at the end of the season, sat in contemplative mood as the Kop belted out ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ before kick-off.
It was followed up in the first minute by a rendition of ‘I’m so glad that Jurgen is a Red’ but the German will have been pleased the focus swung to on-the-pitch action immediately afterwards as, with the battle continuing on four fronts, there is plenty of football still to play.
Klopp does not want his final four months to be an indulgent love-in, and his players got the message as they saw off their spirited Championship opponents, managed by Klopp’s good friend David Wagner, with clinical professionalism after a minor blip.
Darwin Nunez had already struck the post with a magnificent curling drive by the time Curtis Jones nodded the hosts in front from full debutant James McConnell’s cross.
The Canaries equalized against the run of play when Ben Gibson steered in Gabriel Sara’s corner, but Nunez restored Liverpool’s lead with a calm finish after fine work from full-back Conor Bradley.
And it was 3-1 early in the second half when Diogo Jota latched on to a wayward header from Gibson before thumping a low shot past goalkeeper George Long.
Second-half substitute Virgil van Dijk, left completely unmarked from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner, headed home Liverpool’s fourth before a superb Borja Sainz strike gave Norwich hope—moments after Christian Fassnacht’s finish was disallowed for offside.
The only other sour note for the home side was a late injury for teenager McConnell, who had to be replaced by Luis Diaz with 12 minutes remaining, but there was still time for Ryan Gravenberch to complete the scoring with a close-range header.
The Reds will host Watford or Southampton in the fifth round after the Championship clubs played out a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road earlier on Sunday.
