Reds run riot over sorry Seagulls

Brighton scored three own goals as Liverpool cruised into the FA Cup quarter-finals following a 6-1 victory at Anfield.

Liam Bridcutt twice turned into his own net and Lewis Dunk also suffered the indignity of scoring at the wrong end when he spectacularly failed to clear a cross.

Liverpool were pegged back after Martin Skrtel's opener by a stunning Kazenga LuaLua strike but their progress was never in doubt with Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez - who missed a penalty - also on target.

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish could not have wished for a better start. Distracted by the presence of the excellent Carroll, who was wrestled to a standstill by Adam El-Abd, Brighton allowed Skrtel a free run at Steven Gerrard's near-post cross. The header was firm enough to send it whistling past Peter Brezovan.

The visitors were being so comprehensively outplayed that it came as something of a surprise that they levelled, with Lua Lua - teed up by a training ground free-kick routine - expertly finding the bottom corner from 25 yards with a low shot.

However, Suarez produced some neat trickery to create a shooting opportunity for himself. Brezovan was equal to it but when the rebound bounced kindly for Glen Johnson, the full-back turned his header goalwards. Sam Vokes thought he had cleared, only for the ball to strike Bridcutt at point blank range and bounce back into the net.

After the interval, when Stewart Downing cut a cross back for Carroll, the burly striker swept home first time from 10 yards. It was no more than the big Geordie deserved - fit and firing, his size provides a threat no defence will find easy to contain.

The visitors' nightmare was not over though. First Bridcutt was in the wrong place at the wrong time again as Gerrard's low cross bounced off him at the near post to provide Liverpool with a second own goal.

Then Dunk joined in the act. After succeeding only in kneeing the ball towards his own goal as he tried to juggle and clear, Dunk deserved to be punished for sheer stupidity - although there was some doubt as to whether it crossed the line.

After substitute Dirk Kuyt had been felled 10 minutes from time, the party atmosphere demanded Suarez take the spot-kick. In keeping with the slapstick, he missed, only to atone from Carroll's nod down shortly afterwards to emphatically stamp Liverpool's presence in the last eight.