[FA CUP] FULL DRAW: MAN UNITED TO FACE LIVERPOOL, AS CHELSEA DRAW LEICESTER IN Q’FINALS
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Following their diametrically opposed paths to fifth-round triumphs on Wednesday, Manchester United and Liverpool will square off in an FA Cup quarterfinal matchup.
With a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest, United eased the burden on struggling manager Erik ten Hag with a late goal from Casemiro.
However, fresh from their League Cup final triumph against Chelsea on Sunday, Liverpool relied on their youngsters again in a 3-0 win against second tier Southampton at Anfield.
Chelsea managed to secure a last-eight meeting with Leicester after overcoming Championship promotion-chasers Leeds 3-2 at Wembley, following their agonizing 1-0 loss to Liverpool.
Following the League Cup’s procession around Anfield by Liverpool’s ball boys before the game began, two of Jurgen Klopp’s young players provided another sign of hope for the future as they led their team to victory.
The 44th minute goal marked Lewis Koumas’ debut for Liverpool, a team decimated by injuries to players such as Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah. Koumas is the son of former Wales and West Brom midfielder Jason Koumas.
The 18-year-old forward drilled a fierce low drive that deflected in off Southampton’s Jack Stephens.
Jayden Danns, another 18-year-old offspring of a former player — his father Neil starred for Crystal Palace — netted Liverpool’s second in the 73rd minute with a composed finish that belied his tender age.
James McConnell, 19, and Bobby Clark, 19, also impressed for Liverpool, who introduced 16-year-old Trey Nyoni to become their youngest ever FA Cup player in the second half.
Danns capped the victory in the 88th minute when he lashed home in front of The Kop.
“We don’t take these things for granted,” Klopp said of facing United.
“The situation is horribly difficult. We have too many games and not enough players. They (the youngsters) have got to learn and improve, but it was a top performance.”
At the City Ground, United reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for a record 48th time.
Ten Hag insisted this week that he doesn’t need a public vote of confidence from Jim Ratcliffe after the British billionaire took charge of United’s football operations.
– Pressure mounting –
But United are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, eight points adrift of the top four, after Saturday’s shock 2-1 home defeat against Fulham.
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