Masterclass from Liverpool as Reds cruise past Lincoln City with 7-2 win

Liverpool progressed to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after beating League One side Lincoln City 7-2.

Lincoln 2-7 Liverpool

• 0-1: Xherdan Shaqiri (9')
• 0-2: Takumi Minamino (18')
• 0-3: Curtis Jones (32')
• 0-4: Curtis Jones (36')
• 0-5: Takumi Minamino (46')
• 1-5: Tayo Edun (60')
• 1-6: Marko Grujic (65')
• 2-6: Lewis Montsma (67')
• 2-7: Divock Origi (89')

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It was a commanding performance from the start for the Premier League champions, who showed their superiority with a sublime 7-2 win against the League One side.

Goals from Xherdan Shaqiri, Takumi Minamino, Curtis Jones, Marko Grujic and Divock Origi saw the Reds run rout at LNER Stadium as they set up a fourth-round clash against Arsenal at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp made ten changes to the side that beat Chelsea at the weekend, with the likes of Kostas Tsimikas, Marko Grujic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Takumi Minamino all getting starts.

As expected, the Reds made an accomplished start to the game as they controlled the ball and showed their quality with some incisive play in attack.

They got the breakthrough inside ten minutes as Xherdan Shaqiri - making his first start since December 2019 - fired an exquisite free-kick into the back of the net with a pinpoint strike.

Tsimikas looked lively down the left, while the likes of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Minamino also impressed with some good build-up play.

It was Minamino who doubled Liverpool's advantage less than ten minutes later as he curled a first-time effort from the edge of the box into the top-right corner.

An excellent ball by youngster Rhys Williams found Divock Origi inside the box. The Belgian headed the ball into Jones' path, who finished brilliantly in his trademark style to make it 3-0 to the Reds.

It didn't take him long to add another as he turned away from Lincoln's defenders at the edge of the box and sent a curling effort at goal, which deflected past goalkeeper Alex Palmer and into the back of the net.

Liverpool showed no signs of slowing down in the second half as it took them just 18 seconds to make it five. Elliott was denied by Palmer, but the ball bounced into Minamino's path, with the Japanese international tucking the ball home for his second of the game.

The home side saw more of the ball in attacking areas for short bursts, but the rhythm of the game was still certainly controlled by Klopp's side.

New signing Diogo Jota came on for Elliott with a little under 35 minutes left as the Portuguese made his maiden Liverpool appearance.

A lapse in concentration from the Reds saw them concede possession inside their own half, with Lincoln City grabbing an unlikely goal through winger Tayo Edun, who rolled the ball past Adrian.

An effort from Marko Grujic from outside the box found its way past the goalkeeper to make it 6-1, but Lincoln responded two minutes later as Lewis Montsma pulled one back for the Imps.

Jota came closing to bagging on his debut as he turned at the edge of the area and sent a low effort goalwards, but the ball whistled past the post.

Origi got in on the act in the final few minutes as he collected the ball from Minamino to round off the scoring for Liverpool with an excellent hit from just inside the area to seal an impressive 7-2 victory.

Liverpool XI: Adrian, N. Williams, R. Williams, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Grujic, Jones, Elliott, Shaqiri, Minamino, Origi.

LFC Globe's MOTM: Curtis Jones

Next Fixture: Arsenal (H) - 28th Sep, 8pm

MORE: Lincoln 2-7 Liverpool highlights →