FA Cup

Manchester United beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday.

Juan Mata scored the only goal of the game in the second half at Old Trafford to send the Red Devils through to a tie against Tranmere Rovers or Watford.

Elsewhere, Cardiff City beat Carlisle 4-3 in a thrilling third-round replay at Brunton Park to book a clash with Reading in the next round.

Wednesday's Results

Carlisle 3-4 Cardiff City

Manchester United 1-0 Wolves

FA Cup Recap

Manchester United survived a let-off in the first half when Pedro Neto put the ball in the back of the net after 10 minutes but saw his effort ruled out for handball after a VAR check.

A poor pass from Fred hit team-mate Nemanja Matic and gifted possession to the visitors. Raul Jimenez beat Harry Maguire to the ball but was penalised for handball before Neto converted (UK video only):

Jimenez was a threat in the first half and forced Romero into a good early save, while Daniel James was twice denied by goalkeeper John Ruddy at the other end and fired a low effort across goal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sent on Marcus Rashford and Andreas Pereira in search of a winner after 64 minutes and saw his side take the lead three minutes later.

Anthony Martial sent Mata running clean through on goal, and the Spaniard kept his composure to dink the ball over Ruddy:

The goal was enough to secure victory but the hosts' evening was marred by an injury to top scorer Rashford. The striker was forced off with a little over 10 minutes of normal time remaining with an apparent back injury, per Henry Winter at The Times:

Championship side Cardiff are also safely into the fourth round after coming out on top of a seven-goal thriller against Carlisle.

The League Two side took a surprise lead on seven minutes when Nathan Thomas struck from the edge of the box, but Cardiff hit back through goals from Aden Flint and Josh Murphy.

Flint struck again from close range early in the second half to put Cardiff 3-1 up and in charge of the tie. However, Harry McKirdy pulled one back three minutes later to give his side hope.

Danny Ward struck a fourth for the visitors with a neat turn and finish to restore Cardiff's two-goal advantage which proved enough to send them through despite McKirdy grabbing his second of the game with a brilliant strike into the top corner.

Manchester United defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 on Wednesday in their FA Cup third-round replay at Old Trafford.

Wolves dominated possession in the first half without scoring, but it was a 67th-minute United counter-attack that allowed Juan Mata to strike the only goal of the game.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer drafted in goalkeeper Sergio Romero, with forwards Mason Greenwood and Daniel James coming into his starting XI. In-form striker Marcus Rashford was on the bench.

Stopper John Ruddy was handed a start by Nuno Espirito Santo, and the deputy 'keeper quickly denied James in the opening moments.

Wolves believed they had grabbed the lead after nine minutes when Pedro Neto fired home after a mistake by Fred, but VAR disallowed the goal for handball against Raul Jimenez. The ball deflected off the Mexican's arm in a challenge with Harry Maguire before the goal-bound strike.

Fred almost atoned for his earlier error with a strike that missed the target, but United continued to struggle to find their rhythm in the first half. Wolves looked dangerous on the front foot. The hosts were slow to respond to the visitors' quick-thinking, and Romero was the busier 'keeper.

United appeared rigid in midfield, but the counter-attack threat was present for the Red Devils. Mata spurned a good chance to take the lead midway through the first half, but Ruddy was equal to his strike.

A set piece undid United after 29 minutes, as Jimenez's header beat Romero but hit the post.

United's technical shortcomings from previous games were apparent again. The away side exploited their opponents when they lost the ball and appeared the more likely to score.

Solskjaer's men came out of the blocks quicker in the second half, and James and Mata both had good chances of breaking the deadlock.

However, Anthony Martial was more isolated without the support of Rashford, and United's lack of experience was clear. The England international was introduced from the bench with Andreas Pereira by Solskjaer after 63 minutes, as Greenwood and James made way.

Rashford's arrival helped United move up a gear, and a quick breakaway allowed Mata to open the scoring. Martial fed the Spain international, who dinked the ball over Ruddy with a superb finish.

A heavy challenge saw Rashford's 17-minute cameo come to a premature end with 11 minutes remaining. The forward worryingly hobbled off straight down the tunnel.

Wolves responded to Rashford's exit and chased hard for an equaliser. United appeared nervous in midfield and defence as they tried to manage the closing stages.

However, the visitors failed to create at the death, and it's United who progress to play in the fourth round.

What's Next?

Both teams are back in Premier League action this weekend. Wolves travel to in-form Southampton on Saturday, while United face leaders Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.

Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United won their third-round replay fixtures in the FA Cup on Tuesday, beating Middlesbrough and Rochdale, respectively.

Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela got the goals for Spurs, while the Magpies scored three goals in the first half.

Coventry also cruised to the next round against Bristol Rovers, while Reading beat Blackburn and minnows Shrewsbury narrowly got past Championship side Bristol City. Here are the full results:

A massive error at the back gave Spurs the perfect start at home, allowing Lo Celso an easy look on goal after just two minutes:

That set the tone for what should have been an easy night for Spurs, who fielded a relatively strong XI that included the likes of Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Harry Winks. When Lamela doubled the lead after 15 minutes, the match already seemed over.

Football.London's Alisdair Gold believes Lo Celso and Lamela could be important players for the team moving forward:

Spurs should have cruised to the finish line after the second goal but failed to put away their opponents. When George Saville made it 2-1 after 83 minutes, it set up a tense finale, but the Premier League giants held on for the win.

Newcastle were never troubled by Rochdale, scoring three goals in the first 30 minutes. There was more comical defending in this match, with Eoghan O'Connell bagging an own goal and Miguel Almiron taking advantage of dreadful passing at the back:

Matthew Longstaff and Joelinton also got on the board for the hosts. Michael Jordan Williams got a consolation goal for Rochdale.

Coventry had little difficulty against Rovers, courtesy of two goals from Maxime Biamou. Callum O'Hare impressed with some incredible passing, setting up two goals:

Aaron Pierre scored a last-minute winner for Shrewsbury against Bristol City, downing the Championship side after 89 minutes.

Manchester United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in an FA Cup third-round replay at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The two Premier League sides were forced to replay after a dour goalless draw at Molineux, and the winner will face either Tranmere Rovers or Watford in the fourth round.

Home advantage makes United favourites to progress, although they have not beaten Wolves in their last five meetings.

Date: Wednesday, January 15

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK)

Live Stream: BT Sport Live (UK), ESPN+ (U.S.)

Odds (courtesy of Oddschecker): Manchester United 19-20, Draw 13-5, Wolves 14-5

Match Preview

Manchester United are likely to make changes to their starting XI as the game comes in a busy schedule. The Red Devils may also have one eye on Sunday's Premier League clash against fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could decide to rest in-form striker Marcus Rashford for the tie. The Norwegian has said the England international, who has 19 goals already this season, is carrying a few knocks, per The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell:

The hosts could turn to Mason Greenwood in attack. The 18-year-old is enjoying a breakthrough season at Old Trafford and has an excellent goalscoring record, as noted by Statman Dave:

United will need to put in a more attacking performance against Wolves this time around. They didn't manage a single shot on target in the draw at Molineux:

Midfield remains a problem area for United. Influential duo Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba remain sidelined with injury, which means Fred and Nemanja Matic are likely to continue in the side.

Meanwhile, Wolves head to Old Trafford on a poor run of form that has seen them go four games without a win since beating Premier League champions Manchester City 3-2 in December.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo called on his team to improve after being held by struggling Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday:

Wolves have looked tired in recent weeks, which is understandable given they started UEFA Europa League qualifying in July and lack the strength in depth of some of their Premier League rivals.

The visitors still have enough quality to cause United problems. Striker Raul Jimenez hit the woodwork in the draw at Molineux and will be keen to add to his 11 goals this season.

Neither team will be relishing this extra fixture in a packed schedule and are unlikely to view the FA Cup as a priority this season. The hosts head into the match in better form and with home advantage, which may just be enough to clinch a narrow victory.

Arsenal booked their spot in the fourth round of the 2019-20 FA Cup by beating Leeds United 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Monday. 

The Championship side had the better of the first half but were unable to take the lead.

The Gunners came flying out the blocks after the break, and Reiss Nelson's scrappy 55th-minute goal proved the difference in the end. 

Here are the results in full from the weekend's action in the world's oldest football tournament.

FA Cup Third Round Results 

• Bristol City 1-1 Shrewsbury Town
• Millwall 3-0 Newport County
• Rochdale 1-1 Newcastle United
• Rotherham United 2-3 Hull City
• Birmingham City 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
• Burnley 4-2 Peterborough United
• Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday
• Cardiff City 2-2 Carlisle United
• Fulham 2-1 Aston Villa
• Oxford United 4-1 Hartlepool United
• Southampton 2-0 Huddersfield Town
• Brentford 1-0 Stoke City
• Preston North End 2-4 Norwich City
• Reading 2-2 Blackpool
• Watford 3-3 Tranmere Rovers
• Bournemouth 4-0 Luton Town
• Leicester City 2-0 Wigan Athletic
• Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Manchester United
• Fleetwood Town 1-2 Portsmouth
• Manchester City 4-1 Port Vale
• Bristol Rovers 2-2 Coventry City
• Burton Albion 2-4 Northampton Town
• Charlton Athletic 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
• Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest
• Crewe Alexandra 1-3 Barnsley
• Crystal Palace 0-1 Derby County
• Middlesbrough 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
• Queens Park Rangers 5-1 Swansea City
• Sheffield United 2-1 AFC Fylde
• Liverpool 1-0 Everton
• Gillingham 0-2 West Ham United
• Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United

Marcelo Bielsa's side were fantastic in the first half, working Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on numerous occasions but failing to break the deadlock:

They were made to rue their misses by a home team that looked completely different in the second half.

Soon after the break, Alexandre Lacazette hit the crossbar with a free-kick and forced a save out of Illan Meslier before Matteo Guendouzi whistled an effort wide of the post.

After a decent Patrick Bamford effort, Nelson then found the net from close range 10 minutes into the second half when Barry Douglas' attempted interception fell into his path.

It was a knockout blow for Leeds, who were never able to reclaim the control they had in the first half.

The draw for the fourth round took place before kick-off in north London, and Arsenal's win sets up a visit to Bournemouth for the Gunners as they bid for a 14th title:

The Cherries are past the third round for the first time since 2015-16 after they thrashed Luton Town 4-0 on Saturday.

Other Premier League sides who eased past lower-league opposition in the third round included Leicester City, who beat Wigan Athletic 2-0, and defending champions Manchester City, who won 4-1 against Port Vale.

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Watford all face replays as they aim for the fourth round, while Brighton & Hove Albion are out after losing 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday.

Chelsea made it through to the last 32 by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0, and in arguably the headline clash of the third round, a young Liverpool side beat Everton 1-0 thanks to 18-year-old Curtis Jones' stunning strike. 

Arsenal progressed to the fourth round of the 2020 FA Cup after narrowly beating Leeds United 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.    

The Gunners weathered heavy pressure early on, before Reiss Nelson settled the tie 10 minutes into the second half against the leaders in the Championship. Arsenal now move on to face Bournemouth away later this month.

Arsenal fielded a strong lineup, featuring Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe up top, but were overrun early on, with Leeds putting backup goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez through his paces. Winger Jack Harrison forced the Argentinian into a decent save, before striker Patrick Bamford rattled another shot off the bar.

Harrison easily had the beating of Gunners left-back Sead Kolasinac and ran the show during the opening stages. The winger dragged another effort wide with the chances mounting for Leeds.

Arsenal had looked much-improved during a recent 2-0 win over Manchester United, but Mikel Arteta's team was being worked over at will by a side from a lower division.

Part of the Gunners' problem was a lack of cohesion along a reshuffled back four. Rob Holding looked rusty on his return from a lengthy injury absence, while Sokratis Papastathopoulos appeared miscast as a right-back.

Leeds kept the pressure on Arsenal's muddled defensive lineup. The away side also succeeded in keeping the Gunners' chief playmaker quiet:

Things changed after the break, with Arteta's players taking starting positions higher up the pitch. A more intense press yielded greater possession, and Mesut Ozil began making it count.

Lacazette cracked a free-kick off the bar then found space on the deck to draw Illan Meslier into a smart save. Those chances were an obvious sign the Gunners were quicker and more purposeful in attacking areas.

The breakthrough came when Pepe wriggled free and played in Lacazette, whose deflected cross rolled into Nelson's path:

Despite his goal, Nelson was soon subbed for returning striker Gabriel Martinelli. Pepe wasted little time teeing the Brazilian up, but his shot was deflected behind for a corner. Sokratis then glanced a header wide from the corner, before Meslier again denied Martinelli. 

The hosts were turning on the style, and another last-ditch block thwarted Kolasinac after the defender worked a neat one-two with a tireless Lacazette.

In the meantime, Ozil, who been transformed in the second half, made way for Joe Willock. Pepe was also withdrawn in favour of another academy graduate, Bukayo Saka.

The fresh legs, along with more considered use of the ball, helped Arsenal get over the line. Seeing out the result was vindication for first-time senior boss Arteta, who in just his fourth game in charge, proved he can motivate sluggish players and get a response.

Meanwhile, a slick Leeds team was left to rue wasting almost total dominance during the first half.

What's Next?

Arsenal are away to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, while Leeds host Sheffield Wednesday in English Football's second tier later in the day.

Defending champions Manchester City will host Championship side Fulham in the fourth round of the 2019-20 FA Cup.

In Monday's draw, Premier League leaders Liverpool discovered they will travel to either Bristol City or Shrewsbury Town.

Chelsea, meanwhile, were drawn away against Hull City and Manchester United will face Watford or Tranmere Rovers if they can beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in their third-round replay.

League Two's Northampton Town, the lowest-ranked side confirmed in the fourth round, were handed a home tie against Wayne Rooney's Derby County.

Here is the draw in full for Round 4 of the storied competition:

Watford/Tranmere Rovers vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers/Manchester United

Hull City vs. Chelsea

Southampton vs. Middlesbrough/Tottenham Hotspur

QPR vs. Sheffield Wednesday

Bournemouth vs. Arsenal

Northampton Town vs. Derby County

Brentford vs. Leicester City

Millwall vs. Sheffield United

Reading/Blackpool vs. Cardiff City/Carlisle United 

West Ham United vs. West Bromwich Albion

Burnley vs. Norwich City

Bristol Rovers/Coventry City vs. Birmingham City 

Manchester City vs. Fulham

Rochdale/Newcastle United vs. Oxford United

Portsmouth vs. Barnsley

Bristol City/Shrewsbury Town vs. Liverpool

Matches will be played between Friday, January 24 and Monday, January 27.

Plenty of English football's bigger clubs have yet to guarantee their spot in the fourth round.

Arsenal, the most successful side in FA Cup history with 13 titles, host Leeds United on Monday and will have a fourth round tie against Bournemouth if they are victorious.

Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Watford, beaten finalists in 2018-19, all face replays against lower-league opposition in the third round after being held to draws over the weekend.

The only confirmed all-Premier League tie of the fourth round at the time of the draw was Burnley's clash with Norwich City.

Recent seasons have seen the FA Cup dominated by the bigger Premier League sides.

Arsenal have won three of the last six tournaments, with United, Chelsea and City winning the other three.

The last time there was a surprise winner was in 2012-13, when Wigan Athletic beat the City to claim the trophy for the first time.

Liverpool, already champions-elect in the Premier League, have not won the FA Cup since 2006, and they last made a final in 2012, when they lost to Chelsea.

A spot in the last 16 of this season's FA Cup seems all but guaranteed for Jurgen Klopp's side. Neither Bristol City, currently 11th in the Championship, nor Shrewsbury, 14th in League One, are likely to cause many problems for the European champions.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised new signing Takumi Minamino for a "super, outstanding" debut at Anfield on Sunday when his side defeated Everton 1-0 in the FA Cup third round.

Minamino, 24, signed with Liverpool from Red Bull Salzburg on December 19:

Klopp was impressed at how seamlessly his new arrival has settled into Liverpool's plans and picked out his willingness to play a leading role chasing back in defence. He told reporters after the game:

"Super, outstanding. Exactly the player we wanted, exactly the player we wished for.

"Your first game in a team you don't know, if it's a settled team it's already difficult—this team we threw more or less on the pitch with two sessions together. And then showing this kind of game understanding, football skills are exceptional, attitude is outstanding, led the chasing pack so often in different situations, which I loved."

The attacking midfielder started in a central role and pushed to the tip of Liverpool's spear at times, playing 70 minutes before he was taken off for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The 22-cap Japan international put in a diligent display, looking busy in attack and defence to earn a standing ovation upon his withdrawal: 

Klopp added: "He didn't look tired, but because we don't know him that long, we just wanted to save him a little bit, so [we] took him off."

Minamino became the third player to join Liverpool with previous connections to Salzburg, with winger Sadio Mane and midfielder Naby Keita as the others.

Rather than a foreign signing having the decisive say in Sunday's derby, it was homegrown Liverpool starlet Curtis Jones, 18, who steered in a superb winner in the 71st minute:

The Japanese came to England having scored nine goals and recorded 11 assists in 22 appearances for Salzburg in the first half of this season. 

He scored twice in the UEFA Champions League for Salzburg, one of which came in a 4-3 defeat to then-future employers Liverpool, via the Mirror:

Paul Joyce of the Times confirmed Minamino's transfer to Merseyside cost Liverpool £7.5 million, which has looked like a bargain since the deal was announced.

His Liverpool debut showed promise for what's to come. Minamino will look to be involved when his new outfit travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and hope to increase their 13-point lead at the Premier League summit.

Liverpool will feature in the FA Cup fourth round for an eighth time in nine seasons after Curtis Jones' inspired finish saw them beat Everton 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds emerged victorious in their fourth consecutive Merseyside derby at home, where a young Liverpool lineup withstood a first-half storm to edge their way into the next stage.

Chelsea advanced to the fourth round after they beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, where Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ross Barkley supplied two first-half finishes. Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 1-1 draw away to Middlesbrough and will host a replay on January 14 or 15.

Sheffield United also won at home, beating fifth-tier AFC Fylde 2-1 to progress, but top-flight peers Crystal Palace had less success at Selhurst Park, where they finished with 10 men and fell 1-0 to Wayne Rooney's Derby County.

West Ham United joined the list of Premier League teams to advance after they topped Gillingham 2-0 away from home, with a pair of substitute Pablos—defender Zabaleta and midfielder Fornals—each scoring.

Queens Park Rangers orchestrated a 5-1 thumping of Championship foes Swansea City at Loftus Road, which featured a pair of particularly stunning strikes from Luke Wallace and Josh Scowen in the second half.

The FA confirmed the fourth-round draw will be streamed via their official Twitter account on Monday, which is scheduled to begin at 7:35 p.m. GMT (2:35 p.m. ET).

Sunday's Results

• Bristol Rovers 2-2 Coventry City
• Burton Albion 2-4 Northampton Town
• Charlton Athletic 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
• Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest
• Crewe Alexandra 1-3 Barnsley
• Crystal Palace 0-1 Derby County
• Middlesbrough 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
• Queens Park Rangers 5-1 Swansea City
• Sheffield United 2-1 AFC Fylde
• Liverpool 1-0 Everton
• Gillingham 0-2 West Ham United

Jurgen Klopp rung the changes for another domestic cup fixture and reaped the benefits of his trust after 18-year-old Jones bent in a composed winner off Jordan Pickford's crossbar in the 71st minute.

Liverpool remain unbeaten at Anfield this season and won the result through one of three teenagers who started for the hosts:

Stand-in goalkeeper Adrian also deserved his share of credit after helping Klopp's side withstand an early assault from Everton, during which Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison each came close to scoring:

January signing Takumi Minamino made his full debut at Anfield and made an early impression in front of his new fans, making the ideal start on the winning side of a Merseyside derby.

Chelsea celebrated victory over second-tier Forest adorned in a kit commemorating the 50th anniversary of their first FA Cup title, per BBC 5 Live Sport:

The special uniform appeared to have a charging effect on the hosts in west London early on, when Hudson-Odoi opened enough space to find the breakthrough inside the near post:

Barkley was well-placed inside the six-yard box to touch home Chelsea's second after Forest goalkeeper Jordan Smith parried a save from Hudson-Odoi directly into his path.

Lucas Moura scored a 61st-minute equaliser at the Riverside Stadium to salvage a third-round replay for Spurs, who trailed for only 11 minutes after Ashley Fletcher evaded the offside trap to go ahead at home.

Former West Ham striker Fletcher broke free of Tottenham's defence early in the second period and put Boro in front. Spurs boss Jose Mourinho made it clear post-game that he felt the goal shouldn't have stood, per the Press Association's Jonathan Veal:

National League outfit Fylde saw their record FA Cup run come to an end at Bramall Lane, where Callum Robinson and Leon Clarke scored for a second-string Blades lineup to see them through.

Chris Wilder's men have advanced to the fourth round for a second time in three seasons, though not before Fylde winger Jordan Williams netted his club's maiden goal in this stage of the tournament:

Palace were one of only two Premier League clubs to lose at home in the third round of this season's FA Cup (out of 12 thus far). Brighton & Hove Albion lost to another Championship team, Sheffield Wednesday, on Saturday.

Chris Martin scored the game's only goal when he got on the end of Jayden Bogle's cross in the 32nd minute:

Any hope of a Palace comeback seemed to be extinguished after Luka Milivojevic was sent off with around 30 minutes remaining. Derby midfielder Tom Huddlestone tussled with his Eagles counterpart, who then lashed out and appeared to nudge his head towards the opponent.

Referee Michael Oliver attracted mostly positive reviews for his decision to consult the video assistant referee screen at pitchside, upgrading Milivojevic's initial yellow to a red:

David Moyes' winning start continued in his second stint as West Ham manager, following up a 4-0 rout of Bournemouth on New Year's Day with a deserved win at Gillingham. 

QPR led Swansea 3-1 after 60 minutes in west London thanks to a Jordan Hugill brace and Bright Osayi-Samuel's contribution. But Mark Warburton's men saved their best for last at Loftus Road, where Wallace grabbed their fourth with a sensational volley:

West Bromwich Albion built on an impressive campaign thus far by winning 1-0 away to Charlton Athletic, the Baggies seeking more domestic success as they sit level with Leeds United at the Championship summit.

Northampton Town and Barnsley also won away to Burton Albion and Crewe Alexandra, respectively, while Bristol Rovers drew 2-2 at home to fellow League One side Coventry City.

Liverpool progressed in the 2020 FA Cup after a young and much-changed team beat Everton 1-0 in a third-round Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday.  

The Premier League leaders finally took the lead in the 71st minute thanks to a wonder strike from 18-year-old Curtis Jones:

Liverpool are now in the draw for the fourth round as the club looks to lift this trophy for the first time since 2006. Meanwhile, the Toffees, who last won the cup in 1995, lost for the second game in a row under Carlo Ancelotti.

Everton poured the pressure on early thanks to a smart tactical shape up front. Theo Walcott began through the middle on a rare start and superbly alternated his positions with Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Liverpool's youthful back four without Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold found Walcott difficult to track. The Reds' midfield shape was also disrupted when veteran utility man James Milner had to be withdrawn after just eight minutes, with the 34-year-old replaced by Yasser Larouci, 19.

Calvert-Lewin drew an early save from Adrian, who also palmed a Mason Holgate header clear. Walcott then shifted to the right to tee up Richarlison, who was also denied by Liverpool's overworked backup goalkeeper.

The Toffees were finding joy whenever they released Walcott on the right. His cross should have picked out Calvert-Lewin in the box, but Everton's No. 9 mistimed his jump:

Calvert-Lewin also dragged a shot inches wide of a stranded Adrian, leaving the visitors increasingly frustrated by their continued profligacy.

The Reds weren't having much joy at the other end, where debutant Takumi Minamino failed to reached a cross from their best opening.

Soon after it was Jordan Pickford's turn to make a superb save, with the England international getting a finger to Divock Origi's pinpoint low drive. The half ended with another great Everton chance going to waste when Richarlison headed over.

Keen to keep the initiative after the break, Ancelotti soon brought Fabian Delph on for Gylfi Sigurdsson and subbed right-back Seamus Coleman for striker Moise Kean.

Jurgen Klopp responded by introducing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Minamino. Fittingly given the young makeup of the Liverpool starting XI, it was an academy graduate who made the difference.

Jones exchanged passes smartly on the edge of the area before beating Pickford with an exquisitely curled effort to make club history in this fixture:

Everton's response was to hook the lively but erratic Walcott for Bernard, while Liverpool removed 16-year-old Harvey Elliott for fellow teenager Rhian Brewster, 19.

Liverpool's changes worked better, with the newbies adding more energy to help the hosts see out a hard-earned and commendable derby success. Meanwhile, Everton will rue wasting a glorious chance to progress against an inexperienced and under-strength side.

What's Next?

Liverpool are away to Spurs on Saturday, while Everton host Brighton on the same day.