Gakpo double keeps Liverpool on course for trophy defence

The Arne Slot roadshow continues to impress. Cody Gakpo's quickfire double helped the Liverpool manager make it seven wins from his first eight away matches in all competitions as the holders moved into the quarterfinals despite making wholesale changes on the south coast.

- Ed Aarons

Slot could not have wished for a better start to life in English football and he will have been mightily impressed with the performance of the Czech goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who made a spectacular save on his debut when the game was finely poised at 1-0. This was the first real setback for opposite number Fabian Hürzeler since his arrival on these shores, with Brighton once again failing to get past this stage of the competition for the first time since 1979.

To their credit, they kept fighting and pulled one back through Simon Adingra and another through Tariq Lamptey after Luis Díaz seemed to have settled matters but the hosts could not find a precious equaliser ahead of their trip to Anfield at the weekend.