Cody Gakpo scored twice to help send holders Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a thrilling victory at Brighton.
After a goalless and largely forgettable first half, Dutch forward Gakpo broke the deadlock a minute after the break in stunning fashion, cutting inside before launching an unstoppable drive into the back of the net.
The goal sparked the game into life and goalkeeper Vítezslav Jaros, making his full debut for the Reds, made a brilliant one-handed save moments later to keep out Simon Adingra’s header.
Evan Ferguson then fired over the bar but Liverpool had a golden chance to add a second when the visitors broke three on one, but Gakpo unselfishly decided to pass to Dominik Szoboszlai and his effort was blocked by the recovering Brighton defence.
However, Gakpo was not to be denied his second when a mistake by Tariq Lamptey allowed him to run unchallenged into the box and fire home.
Brighton pushed in the closing stages and got a goal back when a Liverpool defensive mistake was pounced upon and Adingra prodded in to halve the deficit.
That roused the home fans but Luis Diaz made sure of Liverpool’s progress when he squeezed in an 81st-minute third, despite a late deflected finish by Lamptey.
Gakpo’s love of the League Cup
There is something about the League Cup that seems to serve Gakpo well.
Last year, he scored in four consecutive games in the competition to help the Reds reach the final, where they beat Chelsea, and that run has continued into this season.
He has scored four goals so far in the current campaign and all of them have come in the League Cup, with his latest double coming after he scored two goals in the 5-1 win against West Ham in the previous round.
He was perhaps given a helping hand by the Brighton defence in this game, with his first coming after the Seagulls backed off to give him too much space – although it was an excellent strike – while the second came from a Lamptey mistake.
But the goals will give Gakpo confidence as he looks to carry this goalscoring form into the Premier League.
Boss Arne Slot has mostly used him off the bench this season, but with a busy couple of months ahead for Liverpool, Gakpo is surely going to get more chances to impress in other competitions.
