Takumi Minamino has scored three goals in two Carabao Cup appearances this seasonSecond-half goals from Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi secured Liverpool's place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals at the expense of a resolute Preston North End side at Deepdale.
Japan striker Minamino, who scored twice in his side's 3-0 win over Norwich City in the previous round, finished neatly from Neco Williams' cross to end the Championship outfit's stubborn resistance after 62 minutes.
Origi, who also netted in the previous round, then produced a brilliant improvised finish with his heel to put the result beyond doubt with six minutes remaining.
Jurgen Klopp named an entirely different Liverpool side to the one which thrashed Manchester United 5-0 on Sunday and despite dominating possession for long periods it was Preston who fashioned the best early opportunities.
The Reds, level with Manchester City as record eight-time League Cup winners, will learn their quarter-final opponents when the draw takes place at 10:30 BST on Saturday, 30 October.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Preston
Formation 3-4-1-2
1Rudd
2van den Berg6Lindsay16Hughes
15Rafferty13McCann18Ledson3Cunningham
44Potts
29Barkhuizen24Maguire
1Rudd2van den Berg6Lindsay16Hughes15Rafferty13McCannSubstituted forJohnsonat 78'minutes18LedsonSubstituted forWhitemanat 79'minutes3CunninghamSubstituted forEarlat 69'minutes44Potts29BarkhuizenSubstituted forRiis Jakobsenat 63'minutes24MaguireSubstituted forSinclairat 79'minutesSubstitutes
4Whiteman5Bauer11Johnson12Iversen14Storey19Riis Jakobsen23Huntington31Sinclair32EarlLiverpool
Formation 4-3-3
13Adrián
76N Williams32Matip12Gomez21Tsimikas
15Oxlade-Chamberlain17Jones80Morton
86Blair27Origi18Minamino
13Adrián76N Williams32MatipSubstituted forPhillipsat 45'minutes12Gomez21Tsimikas15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forDixon-Bonnerat 90+1'minutes17JonesSubstituted forBeckat 90+1'minutes80Morton86BlairSubstituted forBradleyat 55'minutes27Origi18MinaminoSubstitutes
5Konaté9Firmino20Jota45Dixon-Bonner47Phillips54Hughes63Beck84Bradley97de Araújo Pitaluga FilhoLive Text
Match ends, Preston North End 0, Liverpool 2.
Second Half ends, Preston North End 0, Liverpool 2.
Attempt missed. Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Substitution, Liverpool. Elijah Dixon-Bonner replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Substitution, Liverpool. Owen Beck replaces Curtis Jones.
Neco Williams (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Andrew Hughes (Preston North End).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Conor Bradley.
Attempt blocked. Joshua Earl (Preston North End) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Neco Williams (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Divock Origi.
Goal! Preston North End 0, Liverpool 2. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Neco Williams (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Curtis Jones (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas.
Substitution, Preston North End. Benjamin Whiteman replaces Ryan Ledson.
Substitution, Preston North End. Scott Sinclair replaces Sean Maguire.
Substitution, Preston North End. Daniel Johnson replaces Alistair McCann.
Foul by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool).
Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Takumi Minamino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Offside, Preston North End. Sepp van den Berg tries a through ball, but Emil Riis Jakobsen is caught offside.
