5th round draw: Reds at home to Brighton
Having beaten Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield yesterday thanks to goals from Daniel Agger and a late Dirk Kuyt winner Liverpool are through to the fifth round of the Budweiser sponsored cup. The draw took place at Wembley today and Liverpool were drawn against the only other side Kuyt has scored against this season.
Having had two home ties so far – beating Oldham 5-1 in the 3rd round – Liverpool were drawn at home again and their opponents will be Championship side Brighton and Hove Albion. The tie will be played a week before Liverpool’s Carling Cup final against Cardiff at Wembley.
That last meeting between the two sides was down on the South Coast when the Reds were there for this season’s Carling Cup third round tie and despite winning that one Kenny Dalglish won’t let any complacency creep in. The game ended 2-1 to Liverpool with goals from Bellamy and Kuyt but a late penalty from Brighton after Carragher’s foul caused a few anxious minutes of injury time.
Gus Poyet is Brighton’s manager and will relish the chance to bring his side up to Anfield for a match where his compatriots Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates could be part of the home side’s squad.
* Matches to be played on the weekend of February 17/18/19.
Everton have also been handed a home draw – against Blackpool or Sheffield Wednesday – so at least one of the two Merseyside clubs will need to have their match switched from the Saturday to either the Friday or the Sunday.