Liverpool vs Brighton: Salah returns to scoresheet as Reds cruise into FA Cup fifth round

Liverpool produced one of their most convincing displays of the campaign as they beat Brighton 3-0 in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield on Saturday (ET). Curtis Jones opened the scoring late in the first half, Dominik Szoboszlai doubled the lead after the break and Mohamed Salah converted a penalty to wrap up victory and a place in the fifth round.

Reds grow into the game and take the lead

The tie began cagey, but Liverpool increasingly asserted themselves as the first half progressed. A Dominik Szoboszlai delivery found Cody Gakpo for a header that looked to have opened the scoring, only for the goal to be ruled out by a delayed offside flag. Rather than surrender momentum, Liverpool struck five minutes later.

Milos Kerkez delivered a measured low cross from the left and Curtis Jones — operating as a makeshift right-back — tapped in from close range to send Anfield into celebration. The goal underlined Liverpool’s flexibility and depth, with Jones offering composure and attacking intent from an unfamiliar position.

Second-half control: Szoboszlai’s finish and Salah’s cool penalty

Brighton threatened early in the second half, forcing a superb save from Liverpool’s goalkeeper to deny an equaliser, but the visitors were unable to sustain pressure. Liverpool’s second came from one of the best moves of the game. Kerkez switched play to Salah, who cushioned the ball into the path of Szoboszlai; the Hungarian midfielder arrived on the run and powered a clinical finish beyond the goalkeeper.

Any hopes of a Brighton comeback were extinguished when Pascal Groß brought Salah down in the box. The Egyptian stepped up and coolly slotted the penalty to make it 3-0 and conclude a confident night for the hosts. The victory is only the third time this season Liverpool have strung together consecutive domestic wins, but it was the kind of performance that suggested the Reds can build momentum through the cup competitions.

Manager Arne Slot praised his players’ intensity and adaptability after the match, highlighting the way Liverpool coped with a side that also likes to play out from the back. He pointed to the team’s ability to press and win the ball high as a key factor in the result, and singled out Szoboszlai’s contribution both offensively and defensively as evidence of the squad’s improving consistency.

Szoboszlai, who has added more goals to his game this season, reflected on his personal form and the team’s trajectory: "I just want to keep going and score as many as I can. " His strike and continued influence in the final third underline why he has become such a pivotal figure for the side.

With the win secured, Liverpool now await Monday’s draw to learn their fifth-round opponents. Brighton, by contrast, remain without a win in five games and will need to regroup quickly as their form dips outside the cup arena.

The match also showcased Liverpool’s squad depth and tactical flexibility: players stepping into unfamiliar roles, midfielders chipping in with goals, and forwards ready to take responsibility from the spot. For a club seeking to salvage a season with meaningful cup progress, this performance provided an encouraging blueprint.