Liverpool 3 Exeter 0
Paul Tisdale presented Jürgen Klopp with a flat cap before Liverpool’s first game with Exeter City but no favours or gifts were returned in the replay. A Liverpool team of promise and a few wise heads delivered a dominant display and deserved victory at Anfield, where confirmation arrived that the League Two side’s best chance of an upset ended at St James Park.
A majestic finish from teenager Sheyi Ojo, either side of goals from Joe Allen and João Carlos Teixeira, complete with the long-awaited return from injury of Jon Flanagan made for an ideal, stress-free evening for Klopp.
Exeter were never given opportunity to test Simon Mignolet or Liverpool’s relative inexperience as the Premier League side booked a fourth-round place at home to West Ham United on Saturday week.
Greater understanding, a better pitch and more guidance produced an immediate improvement from Liverpool’s young, makeshift FA Cup team. Again Christian Benteke started against the League Two side, as in the first meeting at St James Park though not in the subsequent Premier League games against Arsenal or Manchester United, and the striker was joined by Joe Allen, Jordon Ibe and Simon Mignolet as a shortened injury list increased Klopp’s options. Liverpool did not make the mistake of allowing Exeter to establish a rhythm for a second time.
Anfield’s youngsters trained together for only 40 minutes before the 2-2 draw in Devon. They had three full training sessions before the replay and what little rapport developed at Melwood told as Liverpool’s senior and inexperienced players combined for an early lead.
Brad Smith, the Australian who secured the replay with a late equaliser at St James, was instrumental in the breakthrough. Liverpool’s left-back exchanged passes with Benteke on the edge of the penalty area and showed great awareness as he sprinted towards the byline to cut the ball back for Allen to convert from close range.
The Wales international started in a more advanced role with the composed, intelligent Kevin Stewart operating as the holding midfielder and the licence to venture forward paid dividends, as in the 90th minute against Arsenal a week ago. Benteke’s part in the opening goal also merited praise.
His return pass to Smith was perfectly weighted behind the Exeter right-back Christian Ribeiro and helped Liverpool settle while puncturing the optimism of the 6,000 away fans who had impressively made the long journey north. Otherwise, however, the Belgium international’s first half display provoked only groans around Anfield.
Exeter goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik was busy throughout, in contrast to Mignolet who had one cross to catch before half-time with the visitors unable to find any time or space on the ball to supply Clinton Morrison. Olejnik denied João Carlos Teixeira, Cameron Brannagan and Ibe as the youngsters shot from range before the interval. Ibe also clipped the top of the crossbar with an angled drive while Brannagan was inches away from extending Liverpool’s lead from the edge of the penalty box. The best chance of a second for the home side fell to Benteke, who met Teixeira’s inviting left-wing cross with a clean header but failed to hit the target from six yards.
The £32.5m striker’s first touch undermined several promising openings for Liverpool but a double substitution at half-time by Tisdale was also a mark of the Exeter manager’s frustration. The absence of a second goal, despite a completely dominant display by Liverpool, offered the lower league side encouragement, so too Klopp’s central defensive pairing of Tiago Ilori and José Enrique. Too many unforced errors prevented Exeter from capitalising.
It was only after the hour mark that the visitors began to exert any pressure on Liverpool. By that stage it was a Liverpool defence that included Flanagan, given a rapturous ovation when he replaced Connor Randall for his first senior outing in 20 months. Flanagan has endured nothing but torment since the end of the 2013-14 season, when his contribution to Liverpool’s title challenge resulted in a place on England’s stand-by list for the World Cup in Brazil. Instead of establishing himself for club and country, Flanagan underwent two operations on a serious knee problem and, with his Liverpool contract due to expire at the end of the season, the full-back’s return was well timed and received.
The second half continued to flow towards Olejnik’s goal and Ibe almost doubled Liverpool’s lead when he cut in from the right wing and unleashed a powerful left foot-shot that struck the underside of the bar and bounced on the goal-line. Most, but not all of the ball was over the line and Exeter were reprieved a second time when Stewart was pushed over as he attempted to convert the rebound only for referee Neil Swarbrick to ignore the penalty appeals.
Victory was ultimately secured in sublime fashion. Ojo impressed as a substitute at Exeter and had only been on the pitch for nine minutes as a replacement for Allen when he scored his first Liverpool goal. The 18-year-old took possession on the corner of the Exeter area and, with left-back Craig Woodman backing off, he accepted the invitation to shoot and curled a wonderful shot into the far, top corner. Benteke continued to test Anfield’s patience but created the third for his team with a measured pass to Teixeira, who made no mistake from 12 yards. Klopp’s calculated risk had paid off.
