Liverpool keep quadruple hopes alive as Klopp reaches first-ever FA Cup quarter-final
It’s amazing how a few weeks can change the fortunes of a club. On December 28, 2021, when Liverpool lost to Leicester City in the Premier League, the Reds’ season didn’t look promising.
However, three months on and Jurgen Klopp’s side haven’t lost a game across competitions. Liverpool are currently on a 14-game unbeaten run, including wins in their last ten games.
In this period, the Reds secured their first trophy of the season when they beat in the final of the Carabao Cup on Sunday after an epic (11-10) shootout win.
Klopp’s side had very little time to celebrate, as they had to welcome Norwich City to Anfield on Wednesday in the FA Cup fifth round. Despite naming a much-changed lineup, Liverpool came out victorious, recording a 2-1 victory.
Through to the quarter-finals of the #EmiratesFACup 🙌 https://t.co/FYTFZG3FRc
Liverpool march on in FA Cup
Liverpool are currently playing at such a level that, irrespective of the players involved, the team still has enough quality to gun down any opponent.
Klopp left out Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold against Norwich. However, those who replaced the aforementioned quartet more than did their job.
They may have made a slow start to the game. However, once Divock Origi opened the scoring midway through the first half, it was game over for Norwich.
Liverpool were completely dominant. Takumi Minamino added a second before the half-time break, ensuring that Lukas Rupp’s second-half strike was simply a consolation.
We'll face either @NFFC or @htafc in the quarter-finals of the #EmiratesFACup https://t.co/hJwJPgEiSI
Reds keep quadruple hopes alive
This is the first time the Reds have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup under Jurgen Klopp. In the process, they have kept alive their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple.
The Reds are currently just six points behind Manchester City in the Premier League, albeit with a game in hand. They also have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Inter Milan 2-0 in the first leg of the Round of 16 in London.
"No team yet in the history of British football have won a quadruple because it's really difficult,” Klopp told Sky Sports. "It's not even that we're even close to thinking about crazy stuff like that (a quadruple); we just want to try to make sure the boys are fit enough to face Norwich in a proper way."
The Reds manager continued:
"To think that we have a chance to do so, you could see it as a compliment, but I don't need these. We don't see it like that because we don't think 'oh, we are close to winning the quadruple'. We are close to nothing in this moment; we are still in three competitions, and that's all, like some other teams as well.”
The Reds keep getting better with each passing week, and they certainly have the squad depth to challenge on multiple fronts. They have already wrapped up the Carabao Cup, and they have everything it takes to win the three competitions they’re in.
It remains to be seen how the rest of the season pans out for them.