During Jurgen Klopp’s first game after his departure was announced, all four of Anfield’s stands serenaded him in less than a minute, but after that, the attention was on the field.
Three academy graduates stood out early on a day that saw Klopp reaffirm his belief in youngsters, starting with full debutant James McConnell, who set up Curtis Jones for a headed opener.
Ben Gibson, a center-back for Norwich, quickly tied the score with a deflection past Alisson after beating Ryan Gravenberch to a set-piece, but the lead was reclaimed before the half.
This time, the goal was achieved by Conor Bradley’s tenacity as he drove in from right-back. During his run, the 20-year-old found Darwin Nunez for a well-executed finish.
Numerous opportunities were produced by Liverpool’s intense pressing and Norwich’s careless play, including a fantastic play between Bradley and Joe Gomez that saw Cody Gakpo mishandle the young player’s cutback.
Liverpool was informed at halftime that, should they advance to the fifth round, they would face either Watford or Southampton. Shortly after the resumption, Diogo Jota ensured that they would advance.
After Jones lofted a cross from deep, Gibson was unable to clear it, and Jota’s header found its way into the net, where the striker scored his sixth goal in the previous ten games.
This gave Klopp the opportunity to make three changes, including the eagerly anticipated return of Andy Robertson, who replaced Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai, who was back to full fitness.
And shortly after, Van Dijk made it 4-1 on his first-ever substitute appearance for Liverpool with an outstanding header from Szoboszlai’s corner.
Given the Reds’ lead, the game had a different vibe, and when Norwich equalized through a magnificent long-range effort from Borja Sainz, there was cheering.
In the last minute of stoppage time, Ryan Gravenberch scored another goal, heading in Bradley’s cross-shot to vent his recent annoyance.
Liverpool performed their bit as youth and experience shone, maintaining momentum ahead of Chelsea’s arrival in midweek, while they wait for the outcome of a rematch between Watford and Southampton.
