Reds’ young guns bury Shrewsbury

London, February 5

Liverpool’s youngest ever team proved coach Jurgen Klopp was right to rest his stars as they reached the FA Cup fifth round with a 1-0 win against third-tier Shrewsbury Town.

Klopp and his entire first team were all absent for the fourth round replay at Anfield as part of the club’s winter break.

The Liverpool manager was criticised for disrespecting the FA Cup, but his youngsters proved up to the task and their mature display was rewarded when Ro-Shaun Williams headed the decisive own goal in the closing stages on Tuesday. Liverpool will face Chelsea in the last-16 at Stamford Bridge in March as they remain on course for a potential treble of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

Klopp had turned over the responsibility of leading Liverpool to the club’s under-23 coach Neil Critchley, who also took charge when the Reds played an under-strength side for their League Cup quarterfinal defeat at Aston Villa earlier this season.

With an average age of 19 years and 102 days, it was Liverpool’s youngest ever starting line-up in all competitions.

Newcastle reached the fifth round for the first time since 2006 after a dramatic 3-2 win at third tier Oxford.

PSG leave no crumbs

Paris: Paris Saint-Germain further strengthened their dominance of the Ligue 1 with a 2-1 win at Nantes that moved the champions 15 points clear of the domestic rivals.

Goals in either half from Mauro Icardi and Thilo Kehrer were just about enough for Thomas Tuchel’s side to stretch their lead over the second-placed Marseille ahead of their trip to Saint-Etienne on. PSG extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 20 matches despite a Presnel Kimpembe howle allowing Moses Simon tor to pull one back. — AFP