Liverpool waltz past Derby as Coutinho and Firmino show their class

The instruction has not been forgotten on the evidence of his team’s comfortable passage into round four at the expense of Derby County.

It was a night of firsts for Liverpool at the iPro Stadium where the Estonia international Ragnar Klavan scored his first goal for the club, Loris Karius made his competitive debut in goal and the promising academy prospect Ovie Ejaria joined the senior ranks as a late substitute.

It was also another demonstration of the class Liverpool possess in Philippe Coutinho and, increasingly, Roberto Firmino as the Brazilian duo dissected the Championship team in a commanding second-half performance. Coutinho and Divock Origi sealed a nerveless, assured victory for the men from Anfield.

Klopp made seven changes from the win at Chelsea on Friday but, minus European commitments, it was a strong and experienced unit and a marked contrast to the makeshift selections that navigated through the early rounds of the competition last season. As promised, the £4.7m summer signing Karius made his bow for Liverpool against the lowest scoring team in English league football this season.

Derby also made a change in goal but Nigel Pearson’s was enforced after the former Liverpool keeper Scott Carson fell ill ahead of the game. Jonathan Mitchell came in for only his second start and was soon under pressure as Jordan Henderson and Firmino went close with long-range efforts.

Liverpool had lost only one of their past 13 League Cup ties against lower league opposition and, although their threat and authority was immediately apparent at the iPro Stadium, Pearson had every right to be aggrieved when the visitors took the lead. Derby had settled into the contest and regained a degree of control in midfield when a serial lapse in concentration showed their problems are not confined to scoring goals this season. Four home players were found wanting as Coutinho’s corner was whipped in from the left.

Two missed the flight of the ball at the near post, Richard Keogh sliced what should have been a routine clearance behind them and Klavan, Liverpool’s defensive recruit from Augsburg, reacted quicker than Cyrus Christie to score his first goal for the club via a slight deflection off the full-back.

With Firmino tormenting Keogh and Christie down the Liverpool left and Derby’s defence struggling to rediscover their poise, the visitors could have extended their advantage with greater composure on the counter attack.

Origi forced a good save from Mitchell after latching on to a long ball out of defence but over-run a promising break with Firmino and Coutinho sprinting clear to his left and right. Coutinho did release Henderson in space inside the Derby area only for Keogh to make some amends for his earlier error by ushering the Liverpool captain wide.

Mitchell also produced a decent stop to tip over a Coutinho free-kick before Darren Bent forced Karius into his first save of the contest. A tame header from Marcus Olsson’s cross was never going to trouble the former Germany U21 international, however, though the debutant had to be quick off his line, and out of his area, to prevent Bent connecting with a through ball on the stroke of half-time.

Derby’s prospects of an equaliser always seemed remote with Bent isolated against Klavan and Joel Matip. They were extinguished early in the second half when Coutinho and Firmino turned on the style and gave the scoreline a more accurate reflection of the chasm between the teams.

Liverpool’s No10 started and finished the move that doubled the visitors’ advantage. Collecting the ball in central midfield, Coutinho spun away from his marker, found Firmino and continued his run through the heart of the Derby defence as his compatriot advanced on goal. With barely a glance to his right, Firmino rolled a perfectly weighted pass into the area where Coutinho arrived on cue to side-foot beyond Mitchell from 12 yards.

Klopp’s team, and in particular their Brazilian forwards, were toying with the Championship side and added a third shortly afterwards. Firmino was involved in the buildup but it was Coutinho who this time delivered the defence-piercing pass, flicking the ball into space on the right for Origi to finish emphatically into the roof of the net.

Coutinho created another clear opening for Firmino but Mitchell denied the former Hoffenheim forward at close range before Derby’s tormentor-in-chief was withdrawn to a standing ovation from the travelling section.

Source: Guardian

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.