Liverpool Locked in with Cardiff City at Anfield for the fourth round of the FA Cup. Liverpool’s new signing Luis Diaz’s appearance on the roster has apparently been a talking point, while Harvey Eliott has also returned after missing out on injury for the past few months.
The first half at Anfield was a bit of a cautious affair as Liverpool had good ball and had many chances but could not find the back of the net. However, Liverpool made a very good comeback by playing great football in the second half. Jota, Minamino and Eliott scored for Liverpool after beating Cardiff 3-1. Eliott’s return from injury and Diaz’s debut were two big positives for Liverpool.
Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher 6.5/10
Other than Collins’ long shot, it wasn’t tested much in the first half. After misjudged the forward’s move, he fouled off the field and was shown a yellow card. As for the distribution, it was very good most of the time.
Trent Alexander Arnold 7/10
He had several good free kick opportunities to score, but failed to hit the target as one blocked while the other set the bar too high. Trent, now one of the best setters in world football, went big when he delivered a perfect set-piece to Jota, who had found the back of the net. Another assist for this incredible right-back.
6/10
After his duel with the Cardiff striker, he had a small moment of fear where there was a possible penalty check. He was good on the ball but could have done better when dealing with away goalscorer Colwill.
Virgil Van Dijk 7.5/10
He was calm and calm as always. He was very good on the ball and kept the offense quiet with neat tackles and tackles. He won the air and ground duels and also provided a very good passing hit.
Kostas Tsimikas 7/10
The Greek fullback caused a lot of problems with connecting play and well-lobed deliveries in the aftershock. He had a very good first half scoring chance and delivered a good lobed delivery to Firmino but narrowly missed a goal.
Jordan Henderson 6/10
He lowered the tempo in the first half, where he lost the ball several times. However, he returned better in the second half and contributed to the attack with his mid-kicks from the flanks.
Naby Keita 6.5/10
It paired well with Minamino on the right to create some good deals for Jot and Firmino. However, his long shots deviated from the target at a certain distance.
Curtis Jones 6/10
He spread his game well and matched well with Kostas on the left, but was unable to contribute directly to the game. After the good work of Jota and Minamino, he had a great chance to score when the ball landed on his feet, but he failed to score.
Takumi Minamino 6.5/10
The Japanese enjoyed a good amount of ball and combined well with Jota to create some opportunities. Liverpool’s second goal and seventh goal of the season caught the chance created by Diaz.
Diogo Jota 7/10
The Portuguese scored his 14th goal of the season with a perfect header into the lower left corner. Liverpool’s biggest threat is especially in the first half. He tsimikas very well on the left with a short inside pass to create a good scoring opportunity.
Roberto Firmino 6.5/10
He had half a chance to score with a header in the first forty-five, but he crossed the bar. He had good control of the ball as he tried to set things right with good passing and ball distribution.
refills
Luis Diaz 7/10
It’s a big moment for the Colombian as they make their debut for Liverpool. He did a great footwork in the ball and created a chance for Minamino.
Harvey Eliott 7/10
He was very impressive with the ball after he came back from injury and scored a fantastic goal with a volley tied diagonally to Robertson.
No James Milner
No Thiago
City of Cardiff
Dillon Phillips 6/10
He showed strong hands when he saved Jota’s first shot on goal. However, Liverpool’s offensive prowess eventually got better than him. He could have done better to deny Jota’s header.
Aden Flint 6.5/10
He left a big gap in the first half as Liverpool denied a good scoring chance. However, he made a big mistake and lost the ball, but Liverpool could not take advantage of it.
Mark McGuiness 6/10
He took significant distances, but in the end he could not block the offensive line. Also, he couldn’t go too far due to constant pressure.
Oliver Denham 5.5/10
Oliver started the game as a left wing midfielder but Liverpool were lethal on this wing. Tsimikas and later Jota caused him a lot of trouble.
Perry Ng 5.5/10
He didn’t get too involved as the Reds had too many balls and dominated his flank. He made a good interception near the penalty area to stop the Reds.
Will Vaulks 6/10
He was Cardiff’s most vibrant player. His distribution was good and some of his first half interceptions were impressive. Gaffer must have liked his work rate.
Hand of the King 6/10
King was slow, especially in the second half. Luis Diaz got the better of Minamino in adjusting his luck.
Marlon Pack 6/10
He wasn’t one of the most creative midfielders on the field, but he was still a key figure in the midfield for his team. He sent some good long balls but couldn’t find Collins.
Joel Bagan 7/10
Probably the most impressive Cardiff player on the field. He won four out of five duels and was also quite impressive on the ball. He sent a fierce cross to Collis but could not convince him.
Mark Harris 6.5/10
Liverpool had only one chance near the penalty area where the tempo was off but the shot was high. Sometimes he matched well with Collins in the first half.
James Collins 6/10
Cardiff’s best chance in the first half came as Kelleher tested a good shot from the twenty-five yards right. Other than that, Konate and Van Dijk were better than him.
Substitutes:
Rubin Colwill 7.5/10
It’s a big moment for the young player as he scores Cardiff’s goal from close to the penalty area with a fantastic right foot finish.
No Thomas Doyle
Jordan HugilN/A
Also Read FA Cup: Manchester City vs Fulham player ratings as Guardiola’s side advances for the next round after beating Fulham 4-1
