Liverpool Settle After Routine Brighton Win As Slot Expects More To Come

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Liverpool moved into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 win over Brighton, as Arne Slot praised one of the strongest displays of the campaign and suggested the team still has room to grow, especially now that several younger signings appear more settled within the squad.

Slot also highlighted how Liverpool have raised their physical levels in recent months, arguing that the group can now repeat intense efforts with short turnarounds between fixtures, something Slot believes was missing earlier in the season when adaptation issues for new players contributed to dropped league points.

Reaching round five is relatively rare for Liverpool in recent years, with this season only the fourth time in 11 campaigns they have gone that far, alongside 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2023-24, while their home record is strong, winning 10 of the last 11 FA Cup matches at Anfield since losing 3-2 to West Brom in 2017-18.

Despite this cup progress, Slot’s second year on Merseyside has been challenging, as Liverpool remain in a tight race for Champions League qualification after transfer spending of almost 450m last summer, although current form is encouraging, with four victories from the last five games in all competitions, the only setback a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City.

The scoreline did not reflect Brighton’s shot volume, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side attempted 17 efforts to Liverpool’s 13, yet Liverpool created the higher expected goals figure at 1.82, helped by Mohamed Salah’s penalty, while Brighton’s 17 attempts produced a combined 1.22 expected goals and no breakthrough despite several promising positions.

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Liverpool FA Cup win and Slot reaction

Slot was pleased to see Liverpool convert chances more ruthlessly than in many earlier matches this season and explained how both teams tried to play out from the back, with Liverpool’s second goal standing out for Slot due to the passing move, the switch of play and Salah’s contribution before the final finish.

"It's satisfying because we scored three and that's not really been coming for us. To score three with the chances we had has not happened that many times this season," Slot told BBC Sport.

"It started out with us bringing the ball out from the back. It was two teams wanting to bring the ball out from the back, which you don't see that much any more in the Premier League.

"The second goal was a great team goal, a great switch and Mohamed Salah laying it off... and then the finish was probably the nicest part of the attack.

"In the end, we got some players back. It is fair to say we have developed a lot from two, three or four months ago. We are much more able to achieve the intensity levels that are needed in the Premier League and Champions League after two days of rest.

"Most of these players are young, so there is a lot more to come from them. That is why we did what we did in the summer. Giving them time to adjust also cost us too many pointsthat is clearbut the team is in a good place at the moment."

Liverpool FA Cup defeat for Brighton and Hurzeler reaction

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler felt his team contributed well for long spells yet fell short in decisive situations, pointing to missed opportunities in the first half and describing how Liverpool’s superior quality in key moments, including the awarded penalty, ultimately separated the sides despite Brighton’s attacking intent.

"I'm very disappointed because I think we started the game well, we were good on the ball and had big chances in the first half. Some good quality from Liverpool decided the game. We always tried to come back, but we lost a little bit of belief.

"The fans were great; they deserved more. We had enough chances to score a goal. It was the moments that decided the game; they scored and we didn't. You can't defend all the areas from Liverpool. They had one or two and the penalty decided the game."

With Liverpool into the last 16 of the FA Cup and showing signs of greater cohesion, Slot’s side carry momentum into the remaining fixtures, while Brighton leave Anfield frustrated after a performance that produced chances but no reward, further extending an inconsistent spell for Hurzeler’s team this season.