Double for Dan, bitter for Burton
JURGEN Klopp brought his men to the brewing town clearly intent on not going home with a cup hangover.
The Kop boss made his intentions crystal clear from the start when he named a strong side showing just four changes from the team which was on the wrong end of a 2-0 shock defeat against Burnley at the weekend.
Klopp told his men to get on the front foot right from the off and they did not let him down
An early goal from Divock Origi set them on their way and when Roberto Firmino added a second in the 27th minute it was hard to see a way back for Nigel Clough’s Championship side.
A Tom Naylor own goal and a brace from Reds’ substitute Daniel Sturridge completed the rout.
But for a couple of crucial interventions from goalkeeper Stephen Bywater the tie could easily have been out of the Brewers’ reach by half time.
Origi had already forced the keeper to make a good save from his seventh minute shot after Sadio Mane had split the home defence.
And it was Bywater to the rescue again minutes later when he made a flying save to push Firmino’s powerful header around the post for a corner.
Bywater then blocked well at the feet of Origi as Liverpool pressed hard to get the breakthrough.
They did not have to wait long – Origi scoring with the simplest of tap-ins in the 15th minute after Mane had twisted his way to the by-line.
Five minutes later, Klopp’s men should have added to it when Jordan Henderson curled a beautiful ball to the far post only to see Adam Lallana somehow manage to steer his stooping header wide from a couple of yards out. In the 27th minute Liverpool grabbed a second and this time Bywater had to shoulder some of the blame when he threw the ball out straight to Mane.
He sent Nathaniel Clyne racing down the right and when the full-back swept his cross over there was Firmino unmarked to power home a close-range header.
Burton stuck to their task well, though boss Clough looked a little relieved when Kyle McFadzean sent Mane sprawling with a tackle from behind and the referee waved away strong penalty claims.
Burton came out after the break quite brightly, knowing they desperately needed a goal to give themselves any chance of a way back. Clough’s men harried and chased and though they forced a brief flurry of corners, they were struggling to trouble Simon Mignolet in the visitors’ goal.
But on the hour Liverpool effectively killed the tie off when Burton got in a pickle from a James Milner corner.
Emre Can headed it on and Origi made contact but the final touch into the net was off Burton’s Naylor.
Sturridge came on as for Firmino and completed Burton’s misery with two left-footed strikes.
A close-range finish from a Milner assist in the 78th minute was followed five minutes later by a sweet left-footed strike from the centre of the box.
Klopp took Liverpool to the final last season, losing to Manchester City on penalties after succeeding Brendan Rodgers two months into the campaign. He said of this result: “It was a serious, very professional performance from my side, with some nice goals and so nothing to criticise.”
BURTON ALBION (4-4-2): Bywater; Naylor, McFadzean, McCrory, Akins (Myers-Harness 65); Irvine (Palmer 45), Choudhury, Williamson, Dyer (Fox 65); Butcher, Beavon. Booked: Williamson, Choudhury
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner; Henderson, Can (Stewart 71), Lallana (Wijnaldum 64) ; Firmino (Sturridge 64), Origi, Mane. Goals: Origi 15, Firmino 22, Naylor 61 og, Sturridge 78, 83 Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire).