Albion knocked out of FA Cup by Liverpool

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Jones, Szoboszlai and Salah ease hosts to a 3-0 win in the fourth round at Anfield.

Bruce Talbot

2026-02-14T21:50+00:00

Diego Gomez's reaction says it all after he missed a great chance to equalise. 📷James Boardman

Liverpool were superior where it mattered most as they eased into the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup with victory over Albion at Anfield.

Curtis Jones broke the deadlock three minutes before the break but Diego Gomez’s failure to score with only Alisson to beat moments later was a big turning point.

A second goal by Dominik Szoboszlai 11 minutes into the second half left Albion with too much to do and Mo Salah’s penalty made it 3-0 after 68 minutes.

Harry Howell puts Milos Kerkez under pressure. 📷James Boardman

Jason Steele, Babis Kostoulas and Harry Howell came into the side beaten at Villa Park on Wednesday and, backed by more than 2,700 Albion fans, Albion pressed Liverpool high during a promising opening.

Ferdi Kadigolu fired straight at Alisson from the edge of the box and Lewis Dunk came forward to try his luck from 35 yards but his effort was well wide.

Dunk, Diego Gomez and Carlos Baleba were booked for fouls but Liverpool threatened little until Curtis Jones bent a left-foot shot from 20 yards just wide. It was, however, the signal for the hosts to up the ante.

Babis Kostoulas challenges Virgil van Dijk. 📷James Boardman

Cody Gakpo headed a free-kick past Steele but was a yard offside then Mo Salah surged into the box after getting past Kadioglu but hit a toe-poke straight at Steele. On the other flank Milos Kerkez cut inside and Steele impressively tipped his powerful effort over at full stretch.

But it felt like a goal was coming and three minutes before the break Jones got between two defenders and was unmarked as he steered Kerkez’s cross from the left past a helpless Steele.

Albion should have levelled before the break though. A slip by Jones allowed Gomez to run unchallenged onto Dunk’s pass but he shot straight at Alisson – a big turning point.

Diego Gomez puts Ibrahima Konate under pressure. 📷James Boardman

Alisson crucially stuck out a hand to divert the ball away after Dunk headed a free-kick towards goal as Albion responded positively at the start of the second half – only to concede again in the 54th minute. Szoboszlai ran onto a perfectly weighted pass on the right by Salah and lashed a right-foot shot beyond a helpless Steele from 12 yards.

Fabian Hurzeler made three attacking changes when Georginio, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh came on but Liverpool were in control and when Salah went down under the slightest of touches by Pascal Gross in the box referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot and Salah thrashed the penalty into the top corner.

Jan Paul van Hecke tries to muscle through Liverpool's defence. 📷James Boardman

Kadioglu, Minteh and Rutter were off target from outside the box as Albion sought a consolation. Mats Wieffer made his return after a lengthy injury lay-off in the closing stages and Albion fans kept on singing but Liverpool were safely through.

Albion: Steele, Veltman, Dunk, van Hecke (sub: Boscagli 72), Kadioglu, Gomez (Rutter 62), Baleba (Mitoma 62), Hinshelwood (Wieffer 81), Gross, Howell (Minteh 62), Kostoulas.