- Cody Gakpo is doing more than most in Liverpool’s mission to defend the trophy
- Brighton’s late fightback began only after the Dutch forward was substitute
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Whatever else is said about the Carabao Cup and the merits of its earlier rounds, Cody Gakpo is doing more heavy lifting than most in Liverpool’s mission to defend this trophy.
On a night when Arne Slot’s side built a 2-0 lead and conspired to make a drama of the final 10 minutes, it was Gakpo alone who stood out for his consistency amid the madness.
That was best shown in the second-half stretch when everything he touched turned into a flaming missile, with two sublime goals taking his haul to four from two rounds so far. If there was a broader message in there about greater involvement in the more pressing business of the Premier League, then it was violently delivered with those strikes.
It was only after he was substituted off, albeit for the none-too-shabby Mo Salah, that Simon Adingra pulled one back, before Liverpool once more appeared to have killed off the resistance with a third from Luis Diaz. But back came Brighton, this time with Tariq Lamptey assisted by a sizeable deflection off Jarell Quansah.
That Liverpool held on will be the single relevant point, and indeed one that strengthens the exceptional start made by Slot in the job, but this was also a brush with a fourth-round exit. Given Slot made eight changes to his side, the embarrassment and recriminations could have been severe, though those are concerns for another day.
Cody Gakpo is doing more heavy lifting than most in Liverpool’s mission to defend this trophy
Arne Slot’s side are making headway in their bid to defend their crown and join Brentford and Southampton in the last-eight
Luis Diaz (left) scored the visitors’ third and spared Liverpool’s blushes on a night that could have had more serious recriminations
Instead he will reflect on a strong outing for his fringe elements, including a full debut for his third-choice goalkeeper, Vitezslav Jaros.
Hurzeler was equally enthusiastic in the rotation stakes. Of the incoming, Tariq Lamptey, so promising before injuries sapped much of the past two seasons from him, skipped through for an early one-on-one but his strike was well blocked by Jaros – it was one of a number of excellent saves he made.
At the other end, Liverpool’s second string found the byline easy to access but a final ball more elusive – the sum effort for their opening half were shots from Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson, both comfortably saved by Jason Steele.
The second period required 30 seconds to improve the spectacle and 18 minutes to end the contest, with both a nod to firecrackers launched from Gakpo’s right boot. In between, he also teed up Dominik Szoboszlai, but the latter aimed straight at Steele.
That enabled a frantic finish, but not enough to cause Slot any awkward questions about his priorities.
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