Teenager Lewis Koumas scored on his debut and fellow 18-year-old Jayden Danns netted twice off the bench as Liverpool beat Southampton to set up an FA Cup quarter-final tie with Manchester United.
With injuries to a host of first-team players, Jurgen Klopp named six players aged 21 or younger in his starting XI and, just as in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, the youngsters did not let him down.
Southampton had a host of chances in the first half but having failed to make them count, they were punished when Koumas collected Bobby Clark’s pass and found the bottom corner as his low shot deflected off Saints captain Jack Stephens a minute before the break.
The visitors had further opportunities to level in the second period but remained profligate in front of goal.
Again they were made to pay as Danns, on for Koumas to make just his third Liverpool appearance, ran on to Harvey Elliott’s pass to score with a lovely dinked finish at the Kop End.
Danns struck again two minutes from time, thumping the ball home after Southampton goalkeeper Joe Lumley had parried Conor Bradley’s shot into his path.
While Liverpool remain in contention for a quadruple and can look forward to a mouth-watering meeting at Old Trafford in the last eight, Russell Martin’s Saints can now give their full attention to trying to earn promotion back to the Premier League.