FA Cup: Liverpool beat Cardiff; holders Leicester City crash out
Liverpool progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup by beating Cardiff 3-1 as holders Leicester City suffered a shock 1-4 defeat versus Nottingham Forest. The Reds have reached the fifth round only for the second time in seven seasons. Cardiff managed to hold Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at half-time but the Reds clinched victory in the second half.
- Liverpool are alive in all cup competitions this season and the manner in which they are getting the job done is laudable.
- Jurgen Klopp's side will fancy the FA Cup this season after reaching the League Cup final as well.
- Meanwhile, Leicester have been poor this season and the scoreline versus Forest suggested the same.
Liverpool dominated in the second half as the in-form Diogo Jota headed in from Trent Alexander-Arnold's free-kick. Substitute Luis Diaz set up Takumi Minamino for Liverpool's second. Harvey Elliott marked his return from injury with an elegant finish. Rubin Colwill pulled one back for Cardiff but Liverpool held on. They will face Norwich City in the last 16.
Forest gained a lead with Keinan Davis heading down Brennan Johnson's cross and Philip Zinckernagel converting. Forest doubled their advantage with Johnson finishing after a terrible backpass from James Justin. Joe Worrall powered in a header to make it 3-0. Forest keeper Brice Samba made an error to see Kelechi Iheanacho find an unguarded net but the hosts restored their three-goal advantage.
As per Opta, Leicester's 1-4 defeat against Nottingham Forest is only the third instance in FA Cup history of the holders losing by 3+ goals against a side from a lower division. Prior to this, Aston Villa 1-5 versus Manchester United (1905-06) and Nottingham Forest 0-3 versus Sheffield United (1959-60) went on to face defeats.
Alexander-Arnold has recorded his 15th assist of the season across all competitions. Notably, this is the most by any Premier League player in 2021-22, as well as the joint-most for the Englishman in a single season of his career (also 15 in 2018-19 and 2019-20).
Diogo Jota netted his 15th goal for the Reds in all competitions this season. He now has 28 goals for the Reds in 59 matches since joining them in 2020. Meanwhile, Minamino netted his seventh Liverpool goal this season.
Leicester have now conceded 16 goals in their last four away games across all competitions. The Foxes have conceded more goals against Nottingham Forest (4) than in the whole of their FA Cup winning campaign last season (2). Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have knocked out the last two sides to win the FA Cup to reach the next round (Arsenal and Leicester).
