Football: FA Cup holders Liverpool knocked out by Brighton & Hove Albion in fourth round

Holders Liverpool have been knocked out of the FA Cup, losing 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round, as Kaoru Mitoma struck a late winner.

Harvey Elliott put Liverpool ahead, Lewis Dunk equalised before halftime and the score stayed at 1-1, until Mitoma found the net in the 92nd minute with a fine finish.

It was the second time that Brighton had defeated Liverpool in two weeks, after they beat Juergen Klopp's side 3-0 in the English Premier League.

Kaoru Mitoma celebrates with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerb
Kaoru Mitoma celebrates with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi. Photo credit: Getty Images

"Unbelievable ending," said captain Dunk. "Sometimes, you've got to win a game like that.

"We weren't at our best today - nowhere near it - but we ground it out against a top side and got the win.

"We feel like we can beat anyone on our best days and we showed here we can beat them on our not-so-good days. We've got everything in our squad to keep pushing on and hopefully we can go further in the competition."

Liverpool's teenage midfielder Elliott had put them ahead in the 30th minute with a low shot into the far corner, after a clever pass from Mohamed Salah.

Brighton equalised nine minutes later, when Dunk got a flick on a long-range effort from Tariq Lamptey, which deflected into the goal, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker wrongfooted.

Elliott, who also scored in Liverpool's win in the third-round replay, could have made it 2-1 before halftime, as he latched on to Cody Gakpo's pass, but Lamptey made a superb last-ditch tackle.

Another chance

Liverpool had another chance on the hour mark, when Salah connected with a wonderful pass from James Milner, but the Egypt forward chose to whip in a cross, instead of taking a shot, and Brighton keeper Jason Steele easily blocked it.

The tie looked set to go to a replay, when Brighton's Solly March missed a golden opportunity to score in the 71st minute, failing to beat the onrushing Alisson from close range, after Mitoma had set him up with a brilliant low cross.

But Mitoma took things into his own hands, scoring a superb goal from a free-kick, as he controlled the ball on the half volley, dummied and rifled it home.

It was another disappointing result for Liverpool, who have struggled with form and injuries this season, and are ninth in the Premier League standings.

"This season has been nowhere near good enough," said Liverpool defender Andy Robertson. "At the start of the year, we wanted a fresh start, but that hasn't happened - we've been worse. 

"In the league, we haven't been good enough and now we're out of both cups."

Championship (second-tier) side Stoke City progressed to the fifth round, beating fourth-tier Stevenage 3-1, as Jacob Brown scored an early goal, followed by a stunning strike from Josh Laurent and a penalty by Lewis Baker.

Owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham were on the verge of an upset win over Championship club Sheffield United, before John Egan scored from a corner in the 95th minute to force a replay.

In a frantic second half at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham twice took the lead through Thomas O'Connor and Paul Mullin on either side of a sending-off for Daniel Jebbison, but the Welsh club were pegged back by goals from Oliver Norwood and Egan.

"Very disappointed," said Wrexham striker Mullin. "To concede from one of the last kicks of the game from a set play is gutting.

"If we just hold on against 10 men, then we are through.

"I thought we were the better team throughout the game, creating chances and looking dangerous on the break. We limited them to not many chances in open play." 

Reuters