By Achile Danjuma
Andy Robertson delivered a vintage performance to propel Liverpool to a 3-1 FA Cup victory over Wolves at Anfield, providing much-needed relief for head coach Arne Slot following a dismal Premier League defeat just days earlier.
In a game where the spotlight was on 17-year-old debutant Rio Ngumoha, it was the veteran Scottish left-back who emerged as the unlikely architect of victory. Just when Wolves looked to have weathered the storm, Robertson produced two decisive moments in a blistering three-minute spell during the second half.
First, the 31-year-old broke the deadlock with his first goal since September, showing poacher’s instinct to fire home from close range. Moments later, he turned provider, delivering an inch-perfect cross for Mohamed Salah to score for the second time at this venue in four days. The quickfire double effectively killed the contest, though Curtis Jones added gloss to the scoreline with a sublime curling effort from the edge of the area to ensure the 2022 winners cruised into the last eight.
According to ESPN, the visitors were deserved winners, with the performance serving as the perfect antidote to Tuesday’s damaging league defeat. While teenage winger Ngumoha impressed on his rare start and earned man-of-the-match plaudits ahead of the full-back, it was Robertson’s game-changing intervention that told the story.
The result, however, is likely to fuel further discussion about the defender’s future. Now Slot’s second-choice behind Milos Kerkez and with his contract entering its final months, Robertson proved he still has plenty to offer. But with his long-term status at the club unresolved, opportunities to produce such crucial contributions may be dwindling. For one night at least, though, the captain rolled back the years to remind everyone of his enduring class.
Liverpool will now look ahead to the quarter-final draw, hoping to build on a much-improved display.