The FA Cup Media Review: Liverpool

Anyone who believes that the Emirates FA Cup has lost some of its magic in recent years should have been at the Amex when Kaoru Mitoma’s winning goal hit the North Stand net – or should read the newspaper reports of Albion’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, the holders.

Many of those reports began on the back pages, with the tie being clearly the biggest match of the day. The absence of many other games to cover allowed Henry Winter, The Times’ main football man, to make a rare visit to the Amex, and – like most of the writers in the press box - he enjoyed what he saw.  “Brighton & Hove Albion’s players and fans had a nervous wait for VAR to rule on Kaoru Mitoma’s stoppage-time goal but nothing could deny them a deserved winner, nothing could spoil the party in Sussex by the sea,” he wrote.

“The better side won this FA Cup fourth round tie. The holders deserved to lose. Brighton had players who relished this challenge of taking on Liverpool. Mitoma was terrific down the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold was eventually withdrawn. Solly March was superb down the right. Alexis Mac Allister tackled and schemed and withstood some painful challenges. Evan Ferguson worked so hard in attack, and was stopped only by a filthy challenge by Fabinho. At the back, Lewis Dunk was immense, and their reserve goalkeeper, Jason Steele, also impressed.

“Roberto De Zerbi’s influence should also be hailed. Brighton were bold against the holders, almost 4-2-4 at times, with Danny Welbeck and the raw but hugely promising Ferguson through the middle flanked by the fleet-footed, positive pair of March and Mitoma. De Zerbi has instilled such intensity, pace and adventure in Brighton. He was frequently out of his technical area, sending messages to his players. Midway through the first half, De Zerbi was barking at his captain, Dunk, who came across to take on board the instructions. The intent way that Dunk listened, then responded with a thumbs-up as he ran back into position, gave an indication of the connection between technical area and team.

“Liverpool were really out of sorts, and late with some of their challenges. Ferguson was caught by a nasty tackle from Fabinho, which could easily have brought red. Andrew Robertson then caught Mac Allister on the shin. But Brighton would not be denied. It was such a well-worked free kick, lifted to Estupiñán at the far post and his ball back was weighted perfectly for Mitoma, who controlled it effortlessly, then juggled it past Gomez and sent a wonderful volley into the net. It was all over bar the waiting for VAR, which ruled that Estupiñán was onside, and the final whistle confirming the holders were out. Brighton’s party intensified, and the main song was about Wembley.” 

Sam Dean of The Daily Telegraph is a far more frequent visitor to Falmer, and he led his report with Albion’s match-winner, writing that “Kaoru Mitoma is not the sort of footballer who seeks the limelight. On a day off from training, the Japanese forward is far more likely to be found at home on the sofa, analysing videos of his own performances, than in the trendy quarters of Brighton. And even when he does venture out, Mitoma is hardly the most recognisable figure. With his slight build and floppy fringe, he usually goes unnoticed. Well, he has done until now – and that is surely all about to change.

“A genuine star of the English game is emerging on the south coast, where Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton continue to show no fear of their more illustrious opponents. The whirling feet of Mitoma embody that bold approach and, for the second time in two weeks, the winger proved to be too quick and too inventive for a struggling Liverpool.

“Mitoma’s winning goal here, struck in the 92nd minute, was just the latest demonstration of his considerable talent. One touch to cut inside, fooling a pack of red-shirted defenders, and another to slam the ball into the roof of the net. Such was the speed of the movement, and such was the quality of the execution, that the ball did not even make contact with the floor between those touches. A ‘keepy-uppy’ goal, against Liverpool, in the final minute of a thrilling FA Cup tie: Mitoma continues to go from strength to strength, from defining moment to defining moment.

“There were moments here when [Liverpool] looked like their old selves again, if only for a few seconds at a time. A glimpse of Mohamed Salah here, a surging run from Harvey Elliott there. But Brighton were never suffocated, and they never stopped trying to play through the Liverpool press. The home players found gaps and, much to Klopp’s irritation, struck both of their goals from set pieces. A permanent air of vulnerability seemed to hang over Liverpool, especially when Mitoma received the ball on the wing.

“By the end, Liverpool were reduced to kicking lumps out of their opponents, with substitute Fabinho inflicting a particularly painful tackle on young Evan Ferguson, Brighton’s teenage striker. Ferguson could not play on. ‘Not cool,’ Klopp admitted of Fabinho’s challenge. Brighton’s evolution under De Zerbi, meanwhile, is fast becoming one of the most eye-catching storylines of this season.”

George Simms of The i agreed. “Long the hipsters’ choice for every job, De Zerbi’s tactical brilliance has often been lauded, but he also possesses similar off-field attributes to Klopp,” he wrote. “De Zerbi is blessed with a similar rebel spirit and moral conscience. Offered a swift exit from Ukraine when war broke out, the Italian refused to leave until all his international Shakhtar players and their families had been safely evacuated.

“And at Brighton, De Zerbi has unearthed new talent in a squad most believed Graham Potter had playing at the outer limits of its ability. Kaoru Mitoma is perhaps this season’s breakout star, with four goals in his last five games, having never started a Premier League game before De Zerbi took over. His sides possess a similar gangbusting spirit to Klopp’s Liverpool in their destructive prime, although there are marked differences.”

Mark Irwin of The Sun wrote that “Kaoru Mitoma ripped the FA Cup from Liverpool’s grasp with a sensational stoppage-time winner for rampant Brighton” before continuing: “Salah was the provider [for Liverpool’s opener], sliding in a low cross for Elliott to burst into the box and beat Steele with an unerring shot into the far corner.

“Not so long ago that goal would have been enough to see off a Brighton team who were notorious for dominating possession without ever finishing their good approach work. But those days are long gone and within nine minutes of falling behind they were back on level terms. Alexander-Arnold’s clearing header from Mac Allister’s cross dropped invitingly for Tariq Lamptey to try his luck from the edge of the area but his shot still needed a massive deflection off skipper Dunk to wrong-foot Alisson.

“After such a breathless first-half, it was hardly surprising that the relentless pace dropped after the break as both teams tried to find an opening. Brighton thought they had achieved that aim when Mitoma’s magnificent outside-of-the-boot cross picked out March right in front of goal. But Alisson threw himself at the midfielder’s feet and was able to pull off a save which the travelling Liverpool fans thought would be enough to secure an Anfield replay until Mitoma’s last-gasp intervention.”

In The Daily Mail, Sami Mokbel wrote that “Liverpool are sick of the sight of Brighton. Merely two weeks since their 3-0 chastening here at the Amex in the Premier League, Liverpool were dispatched again by brilliant Brighton as they crashed out of the FA Cup.

“Brighton were superb; what a project Roberto De Zerbi is leading here on the seaside. The Seagulls are bursting with energy and talent. De Zerbi’s stock is rising by the day; as are the reputations of his players. He’d never admit it, but [Jurgen] Klopp must look on enviously at what De Zerbi is building. This is a Brighton team in the ascendancy. Liverpool, in contrast, are currently plummeting at a rate of knots.

“The game itself was gripping, if the FA Cup is losing its magic then no-one told either team. An opening 45 minutes seeping with intent and drive from both teams, the 30,000 or so packed into the Amex could hardly remove their eyes from it. It was 1-1 by the time David Coote blew up for half-time; it could have been 3-3.

“Kaoru Mitoma, in particular, looks like the latest excellent discovery from Brighton’s recruitment team. Brilliant balance, tremendous work ethic with touch-perfect technical ability to boot. He was tormenting Alexander-Arnold here. Given the season the Liverpool right-back has had, it was the last thing he needed. 

“The second half was less captivating - but that is perhaps unfair given the rip-roaring opening 45 minutes. Dunk went close with a dipping free-kick in the 50th minute before Salah was thwarted by Steele after breaching Brighton’s offside trap moments later.

“Alexander-Arnold made abundantly clear what he thought of Klopp’s decision to replace him in the 59th minute. But truth be told, Klopp was doing his full-back a favour - Alexander-Arnold had no answer to Mitoma’s brilliance.

“As the game entered the final 10 minutes, Liverpool were spent - clinging on for dear life. Substitute Fabinho’s horrendous challenge on Ferguson deserved a red card, while Konate was lucky to escape after appearing to bundle Mac Allister to the ground when the Argentine was through on goal. By this point a replay was the best Liverpool could hope. But the resplendent Mitoma had other ideas.”

David Hytner of The Guardian wrote that, “from a position of strength, Liverpool were reeled in by a Brighton team that are attracting fresh superlatives from week to week.

“Andy Robertson was booked for a bad foul on Mac Allister in stoppage-time. How Brighton made him pay. From the free-kick, Pervis Estupiñán – in space beyond the far post – sent the ball back across and, after the substitute, Deniz Undav, had challenged with Robertson, serving to block him off, there was Kaoru Mitoma in further space beyond the other post.

“What followed was a blur of technical brilliance, the winger taking it down before slicing inside with a touch on his right foot. Before the ball hit the ground, he had guided it into the far, top corner with the outside of the same boot. Cue a VAR check for an offside against Estupiñán and, when it was ruled on, the roars might have been heard in Liverpool. Brighton march on. The holders are out.

“Did it even count as a shock? Brighton are flying high in sixth in the league, Liverpool languishing in ninth and Roberto De Zerbi’s team were portrayed as the pre-match favourites in some quarters. That probably talked to what had happened the last time but it also reflected the broader trajectories of both clubs, with Brighton’s alchemy nothing short of extraordinary.

“Since the start of the season, they have lost their manager and most of the coaching staff, important recruitment personnel, their biggest-name defender [not sure about that one, Dave], main midfielder, top scorer and a key creator. And they have improved.”

Gary Rose posed a similar question on the BBC website, writing that “it is testament to the impressive work done by Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi since his appointment that you couldn't say with a degree of certainty which side was the favourite heading into this match.

“Liverpool won the FA Cup last season but have endured a difficult campaign and went into this game as the side lower in the Premier League table - they are ninth while Brighton are sixth.

“The hosts impressively outplayed the Reds on 14 January and clearly fancied their chances of another victory against them as they showed belief and confidence in this game.

“Great defending by Dunk prevented what looked to be a certain goal for Salah early on, while Evan Ferguson then had a shot cleared off the line by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“The hosts stepped it up after the break and got their reward for another hard-working display with Mitoma's late winner, although the home fans' celebrations were delayed as a possible offside was checked by the video assistant referee before the goal was given.

“Mitoma is the latest star to rise at Brighton, who continue to impress despite losing Leandro Trossard to Arsenal earlier this month and with Moises Caicedo left out of this game following a bid from the Gunners.”