Liverpool have booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Exeter City in their replay at Anfield this evening.
Sheyi Ojo and Joao Teixeira both got their first goals for the club as they cruised to the win over their League Two opponents, setting up an all-Premier League clash with West Ham United in the next round.
© AFP
It was a confident start from the youthful Liverpool XI, and they took the lead after just 10 minutes when Christian Benteke fed the ball through to Brad Smith, who reached the byline and pulled a pass back for Joe Allen to slot in a simple finish from close range.
Benteke had failed to adequately connect with one half-chance before that goal went in, and the majority of first-half chances continued to fall to the Belgian.
The best of those came in the 19th minute when Teixeira stood the ball up into the area for Benteke, but he planted his header narrowly over the crossbar when he should have done better.
Cameron Brannagan was the next to threaten for the dominant hosts, first drawing a low stop from Bobby Olejnik before flashing a powerful effort narrowly over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
© Getty Images
It was the same story for Jordon Ibe five minutes before half time when he saw a well-struck effort pushed away by Olejnik and sent one just too high from a corner moments later as Liverpool's shot count continued to rise.
A second goal was proving elusive, however, and Jurgen Klopp may have felt that his side's luck was out 10 minutes into the second half when Ibe's thunderbolt smashed against the underside of the bar before bouncing on the line and out.
Benteke was then denied by Olejnik on the hour mark before Exeter finally registered their first shot on target of the night when Lee Holmes's downward header was collected by Simon Mignolet.
The visitors' threat began to increase as the deficit remained at one, but Ibe continued to look like the most dangerous player on the pitch and he sent a improvised effort narrowly wide after the return ball from a one-two had arrived slightly behind him.
© AFP
The second goal finally arrived with a little over 15 minutes remaining, and it was a moment to remember for Ojo as he almost lazily stroked the ball into the top corner in front of the Kop for his first Liverpool goal.
Teixeira joined Ojo in opening his account for the club to well and truly kill the game off with eight minutes remaining, collecting Benteke's pass before sweeping the ball past Olejnik.
There was still time for Benteke to draw another stop from Olejnik before the referee put the tiring visitors out of their misery as their FA Cup run came to an end, while Liverpool march on into the fourth round.
