Takumi Minamino made the difference as Liverpool beat Norwich City 2-1 to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Despite missing several pivotal figures, Liverpool dominated the proceedings from the get-go, with Curtis Jones coming close with curler early in the game. The Reds duly went ahead midway through the first half, when Takumi Minamino produced a superb finish from close range after receiving a lay-up from Divock Origi.
Liverpool did not take the foot off the pedal after that, and twelve minutes later, they were two to the good, with Minamino doubling his and his side’s tally. After seeing a deflected cross fall to him, the Japanese international rifled a half-volley into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.
The hosts continued to push for further goals after the break, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came close when he struck the outside of the post. But as the second half progressed, Norwich found a way to trouble Liverpool before pulling a goal back through Lukas Rupp, whose driven effort beat Alisson Becker.
But there was no late drama in store as Liverpool held onto the slender advantage to secure a safe passage through to the FA Cup quarter-finals. The Hard Tackle now runs the rule over Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Alisson Becker: 6/10
With Klopp resting Caoimhin Kelleher, Alisson made a rare cup appearance for Liverpool. But the Brazilian barely had anything to do on Wednesday, with the hosts controlling the game thoroughly. He could not have done anything to deny Lukas Rupp but made a smart stop to keep Jon Rowe at bay.
James Milner: 7/10
Milner was the most outstanding outfield player for Liverpool after Takumi Minamino. Playing in one of his less preferred positions, the veteran Englishman produced a professional performance, with a last-ditch tackle standing out. He also looked to whip in dangerous crosses but could not create many chances, which was his only shortcoming in an otherwise solid display.
Ibrahima Konate: 6/10
Konate was generally solid at the heart of the Liverpool defence and won all his duels. But there were a few sloppy moments on the ball, and he lost possession 17 times in the game. The youngster was also out of position when Rupp smashed his effort past Alisson to give Norwich a glimmer of hope.
Joe Gomez: 6/10
Gomez was handed a rare chance to impress, and he held the backline together smartly for the most part. The English international completed three clearances and three interceptions while playing out from the back precisely. But he should have done better to close down Rupp for the Norwich goal.
Kostas Tsimikas: 7/10
Tsimikas has usually deputised well for Andrew Robertson this season, and Wednesday’s outing was no different. While the Greek defender was not at his best, he still managed to find a way to remain involved and played his part in both goals scored by Takumi Minamino. And there were hardly any troubles defensively, with Tsimikas completing four tackles and three interceptions.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: 6/10
Oxlade-Chamberlain was handed a rare start by Klopp, and he was hit and miss on Wednesday. The Englishman struggled to get into the game in the first half despite Liverpool’s dominance but was much improved after the interval. He even came close to scoring in the second period, striking the outside of the post with an effort.
Jordan Henderson: 7/10
With Fabinho rested, Henderson was deployed at the base of the midfield. And the Liverpool captain held things together with aplomb, barely letting a Norwich player drift towards the Reds’ defenders. Henderson hardly lost the ball carelessly, misplacing only three passes while even having a shot blocked.
Curtis Jones: 7/10
Jones was a bundle of energy in the first half and kept play ticking whenever he got the ball. The English under-21 international always looked for ways to push Liverpool forward, showing slick footwork to evade the Norwich defenders. He even came close to scoring with a curler early on, only to smash the crossbar. He was taken off at half-time with a thigh issue.
Takumi Minamino: 9/10
Klopp on Minamino: "Taki is an incredible player, a big part of it tonight was for sure the best game for us. He played a super game, he was a constant threat. Without him we wouldn't be in the 1/4 final, without him we wouldn't be in the Carabao Cup Final." [ITV] pic.twitter.com/AtJprOjY45
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) March 2, 2022
Minamino has loved playing against Norwich City this season. Just as he had in the Carabao Cup clash between the two sides, the Japanese international was the scourge for the Canaries, scoring two goals to seal the tie for Liverpool. The finishes for both strikes were brilliant, with Minamino beating Tim Krul superbly in the first half.
Divock Origi: 7/10
Origi endured a frustrating game on Wednesday, as he did not see the ball fall his way as much as he would have liked. The Belgian international still found a way to get involved and set Minamino up for the opener with an unselfish lay-up.
Diogo Jota: 6/10
Making his first start since recovering from his injury, Jota was typically industrious and showed his usual tricky movement off the ball to trouble Sam Byram. But the Portuguese international was lacking sharpness inside the Norwich box and could not find a way to direct his efforts on target. His slow easing in period continues.
SUBSTITUTES
Harvey Elliott: 7/10
After replacing Jones at the break, Elliott was a lively presence in the middle of the park. The young midfielder constantly looked to carve out the openings through the half-spaces, playing a game-high three key passes despite only playing for 45 minutes. He even troubled Tim Krul with a rasping effort, showing promising signs in his outing.
Tyler Morton: 6/10
Back in contention after recovering from an injury, Morton replaced Henderson at the hour mark and looked to keep things tight in the middle of the park. But the youngster had some challenges in keeping Norwich quiet and saw Rupp drift past before scoring his goal.
Sadio Mane: N/A
A late introduction, Mane did not see the ball falling his way in the game’s dying embers.
Luis Diaz: N/A
A late introduction, Diaz found enough time to muster two shots, coming close with one curler.
