English FA Cup: Liverpool, Manchester United through to fifth round
Liverpool cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 5-2 rout of Championship side Norwich City on Sunday, to kick off Jurgen Klopp’s long goodbye at Anfield.
Liverpool’s beloved manager announced on Friday that he would leave the Merseyside team at the end of this season, his ninth at the helm.
The eight-time FA Cup winners had goals from Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez, Dioga Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.
Liverpool will next play either Watford FC or Southampton after that fourth-round game earlier on Sunday ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a last-gasp goal by Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong to force a replay.
Manchester United booked their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a 4-2 victory over League Two outfit Newport County.
Erik ten Hag’s side led by two goals inside the opening 13 minutes at Rodney Parade, with Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo on the scoresheet, but Newport fought back to level it at 2-2 courtesy of efforts from Bryn Morris and Will Evans.
Antony netted a third for the 20-time English champions in the 68th minute, though, before Rasmus Hojlund added another in stoppage time, and Man United will now take on either Bristol City or Nottingham Forest in the next round of the competition towards the end of February.
Man United’s attention will now switch back to the Premier League, preparing to head to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, while Newport’s League Two campaign continues against Swindon Town next weekend.
Ben Gibson and Borja Sainz scored for Norwich City, who are ninth in the Championship, 28 spots below Premier League leaders Liverpool in England’s football pyramid.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 2-0 victory in their fourth-round match at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday was interrupted for nearly 40 minutes due to clashes involving the two sides’ supporters.
Wolves were leading 2-0 when projectiles were hurled onto one end of the pitch in the 82nd minute, sparking a brawl in a corner at The Hawthorns.
