FA Cup highlights: Liverpool 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

Liverpool moved into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on Saturday night (Feb. 14, 2026, ET). Curtis Jones opened the scoring before a stunning Dominik Szoboszlai strike and a Mohamed Salah penalty wrapped up a controlled win for the home side.

Salah, Szoboszlai and Jones deliver for Liverpool

The contest was settled by three moments of quality. Curtis Jones broke the deadlock just before half-time, arriving unmarked in the six-yard box to turn home a low cross and give Liverpool the lead following an increasingly dominant spell. That goal paid for the Reds' growing control and forced Brighton to chase the game.

In the second half, Dominik Szoboszlai produced a sublime individual strike, whipping a long-range effort into the net that put Liverpool further in command and showcased the midfielder's growing influence in attack. Mohamed Salah capped the scoring from the penalty spot after a Liverpool attack earned the spot kick; the Egypt international also contributed a neat assist earlier in the match and worked hard tracking back to help the team defensively.

Goalkeeper Alisson had a couple of important interventions, including a one-on-one stop that denied Brighton a route back into the tie, while substitutes helped preserve control late on. A late Brighton effort that would have made the scoreline more respectable was ruled out for offside, removing a potential late twist.

Brighton's issues and the managerial question

Brighton created some early pressure and looked comfortable with possession at times, but they lacked the cutting edge in the final third that would be needed to trouble Liverpool consistently. The visitors now face a third straight game without a goal, a worrying trend given their recent expectations and position in domestic competitions.

Defensive miscues and a failure to convert set-piece opportunities hurt Brighton. A close-range header went narrowly over in the first half, and a cleared chance late on would have at least given the visitors hope if it had stood. The absence of clinical finishers in this match underlined why the team have struggled to turn promising spells into goals.

What this result means

For Liverpool, the win is a useful boost to squad confidence and momentum. The manager rotated selectively but still fielded a strong side, and the performance suggested depth is increasingly bearing fruit as players adapt to a demanding schedule. The balance of defensive effort and attacking invention, especially from Szoboszlai and Salah, will be encouraging as the team looks ahead to a congested fixture list.

For Brighton, the defeat raises fresh questions about attacking sharpness and decision-making in the final third. The team showed some encouraging traits in possession and pressing structure, but until the finishing touch returns they will struggle to claim positives from cups and league fixtures alike. The manager now faces a critical period to arrest the slide and find ways to restore confidence in front of goal.

Liverpool progress to the FA Cup fifth round and will be expected to be among the contenders as the competition moves forward. Brighton will regroup and look to bounce back quickly in their next outing as they seek solutions to a worrying run without goals.