Liverpool, Spurs reach FA Cup fourth round

Liverpool’s Joe Allen (right) celebrates with Brad Smith after scoring against Exeter City in their FA Cup third round replay at Anfield in Liverpool on Wednesday. The hosts won 3-0. — AP

Liverpool overcame fourth-tier Exeter City 3-0 on Wednesday to set up an FA Cup fourth-round clash with West Ham United, while Tottenham Hotspur eliminated familiar foes Leicester City.

Liverpool had required a 73rd-minute equaliser from Brad Smith to snatch a 2-2 draw at Exeter in the teams’ first meeting and the League Two side gave another good account of themselves in the reunion at Anfield.

But Jurgen Klopp’s team prevailed in the third-round replay courtesy of a 10th-minute Joe Allen strike and first Liverpool goals for 18-year-old substitute Sheyi Ojo and Joao Teixeira.

Klopp, who made 10 changes to his starting XI, praised his young players, telling BT Sport: “They did really well. We could have scored more goals in both halves.

“It’s still a short time that we’ve worked with these boys, but it was good. They showed that they are talented, with big skills, but they showed as well that they have to work, which is as it should be.”

Exeter’s 6,000 travelling fans saw their team fall behind early on when Allen tapped in at the near post after Smith had exchanged passes with Christian Benteke and cut the ball back from the byline on the left.

At Leicester’s King Power Stadium, South Korea forward Son Heung-Min produced a brilliant goal and assist as Tottenham won 2-0 to secure a trip to third-tier Colchester United.

In the teams’ third encounter in 11 days the hosts made nine changes and visitors Spurs eight. Son broke the deadlock in breathtaking style in the 39th minute.

After home debutant Demarai Gray had seen a curler clawed away by Michel Vorm, Son’s beautifully weighted pass freed Nacer Chadli to stroke a left-foot shot beneath Schmeichel in the 66th minute.