Liverpool Vs. Brighton, 2012 FA Cup: Liverpool Earn Own Goal-Powered 6-1 Win

It was own goal o'clock at Anfield as Brighton and Hove Albion managed a whopping four-goal haul against Liverpool. Unfortunately for the visitors, three of those goals were into their own net as the Championship side was brushed aside in what ended up being a 6-1 Liverpool win.

The hosts got off to a brilliant start as Martin Skrtel nodded home a corner three minutes in, but they were pegged back thanks to a free kick by Kezemba LuaLua. And then the craziness began. Before half time, Liam Bridcutt struck with own goal number one after a goalline clearance hit the unfortunate midfielder and bounced right back into Peter Brezovan's net. Things would only get more bizarre from there.

The apocalyptic combination of a Stewart Downing assist and an Andy Carroll goal was next to appear, the former Aston Villa man bursting into the penalty area to sweet up a sweet finish for the goal-shy striker. If that wasn't enough to convince you that something truly strange was going on, a pair of own goals finished off the Gulls.

The first came off the unfortunate Bridcutt, who got his anti-brace when he deflected Steven Gerrard's cross in at the near post. If one player scoring a pair of own goals was odd, the second brought the game into Twilight Zone territory. Lewis Dunk looked to have the situation under control as he brought down the ball on his chest inside his six-yard box under no pressure, but his attempts to keep the ball in the air with his knee ended up with him in the net and the ball having crossed the line. I don't think anyone's ever seen a non-deliberate own goal like that before.

At 5-1, there was time for Luis Suarez to miss a penalty and then score from point-blank range to finish the visitors off. 6-1 hardly flattered Liverpool, who were excellent throughout the second half, but the game will be remembered more for the bizarre hat trick of own goals than for the compelling performance the hosts produced in advancing to the quarterfinals. They'll face Stoke City at home in the next round.