Liverpool beat second division English side Cardiff 3-1 in an FA Cup 4th Round tie at Anfield on Sunday.

The hosts started the game in a dominant fashion, a familiar sight in Anfield, but lacked the polish to create clear opportunities against a well-organised and stubborn Cardiff defence. After 45 minutes, the game remained 0-0 after some valiant defending by the away side.

The second half began in dramatic fashion when Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher rushed out of the penalty box to bring down Cardiff’s Mark Harris, who looked like the last man, but the goalie was shown a yellow, not a red.

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However, a review by the VAR confirmed that it was indeed a yellow, presumably because Harris was not the last man due to retreating Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

Attacking their favourite Kop end, Liverpool found the back of the net quickly into the second half through Diogo Jota’s glancing header, with the supply yet again coming from Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool’s January signing, Colombian winger Luis Diaz was brought on shortly after the goal, along with youngster Harvey Elliot, who suffered a broken ankle against Leeds in the Premier League earlier in the season, in place of Naby Keita and Curtis Jones.

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Minutes after coming on, Diaz rescued a ball on the verge of going out and dribbled past two Cardiff defenders to play a pass into empty space in the box, which Takumi Minamino gladly pounced on to extend Liverpool’s lead.

Liverpool’s evening only got better as the 18-year-old Elliott controlled a difficult ball and hit a volley on the swivel to smash the ball into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 for the Reds in the 76th minute.

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Cardiff, however, pulled back a goal through an incisive attack in the 80th minute, which Rubin Colwill finished off.

Liverpool got another scare minutes later when Diaz got hurt, but the Colombian brushed it off after a minute’s pause.

The Reds managed the rest of the game comfortably to win 3-1, booking their spot in the 5th Round of the FA Cup.