The home side set up another cup tie at Anfield against fellow Premier League side Stoke City and continue on their way to a second final at Wembley.

Three own goals certainly helped the scoreline rise throughout the game, but it was Martin Skrtel who opened the scoring, heading in from a Steven Gerrard corner. A fabulous free kick from Kazenga LuaLua stunned the hosts before the Reds restored the lead just before the break with Liam Bridcutt helping Glen Johnson’s header on its way into the net.

Another Bridcutt own goal and one from Lewis Dunk, as well as a great strike from Andy Carroll saw the tally rise to five, before a saved penalty from Luis Suarez denied Liverpool a sixth, but the Uruguayan headed in from close-range to make up for his miss.

It was a perfect start for the hosts, as Liverpool went ahead with the first chance of the game. A corner conceded by Brighton following a dangerous shot and Steven Gerrard stepped up to the set piece. The skipper sent his kick towards the front-post where Skrtel was waiting to pounce and headed in with ease.

Brighton cancelled out Liverpool’s four minute opener after a splendid low free kick from LuaLua. Striking from 25 yards out, the midfielder drove the ball underneath the defensive wall and Reina struggled to get to the ball as it skidded into his corner.

The Reds came close to restoring their lead after Stewart Downing followed a ball into the box and struck from close-range, but the winger’s goal-bound effort was cleared in a timely fashion by a well-positioned Brighton defender who did enough to rid the danger from the line.

Luis Suarez came alive halfway through the first period to test Peter Brezovan on two occasions, both forcing action out of the goalkeeper and his defense and earned Liverpool a couple of set pieces.

As the break loomed, Liverpool began to turn the screw even further and eventually took the lead for the second-time after a scrappy affair in the Brighton box. A corner arrived in the area and was dealt by the Seagulls’ defense poorly and allowed Suarez to shoot freely, the Uruguayan’s effort bouncing off of Ashley Barnes on the line and fell to Johnson who headed at the back-post.

Brilliance from Liverpool saw the hosts produce a two goal buffer between themselves and Brighton. Tenacious work down the left-flank from Downing saw the winger get past man and cut the ball back for the waiting Carroll on the penalty spot, the big man clipping the ball home for the hosts’ third of the evening.

A defensive mix up between defender and goalkeeper saw Brighton concede a fourth after Liverpool broke down the center of the park. The mistake sees the Seagulls give the ball away in their own box and the Liverpool skipper pounced on the loose ball and got to the byline after an initial effort is blocked, but his second is kicked into the roof of the net by Bridcutt whose game proceeded to get worse after netting his second own goal of the game.

Captain Gerrard has been in the action all night and the skipper was rewarded by in effect getting Liverpool’s fifth of the evening. The midfielder racing to a defensive mix up, got to the loose ball to have an initial effort before trying again from the byline and his effort was poked into the roof of the net by Dunk.

All of Liverpool’s chances looked to be producing goals and when a penalty was awarded to the home side, it looked certain for one more to be added to the tally. Substitute Dirk Kuyt was brought down by Craig Noone and Suarez stepped up to the spot, but the Uruguayan couldn’t make the effort pay and after a goal-line scramble the ball was cleared.

However, lackadaisical defending by Brighton soon allowed for the next goal to come. The Seagulls made a mess of a cross into the area and Suarez popped up to head a sixth for the hosts from close range.