Manager Kenny Dalglish was determined to avoid an early round upset like last year — during which then-manager Roy Hodgson watched his side, made of reserves and out of favor veterans, lose on penalties to League Two's Northampton. And Dalglish did a good job of blending players who needed match practice into a strong starting lineup on Wednesday.
The most obvious sign that Dalglish was taking the match seriously was his decision to include striker Luis Suarez in a first 11 captained by top keeper Pepe Reina.
Dalglish gave central defender Martin Skrtel his first start of the season as he returns to full fitness, and then filled out the rest of the defense with Danny Wilson, Jack Robinson and Jon Flanagan. While young, all three have seen first-team minutes during Dalglish's tenure and were not out of place alongside more experienced colleagues.
In midfield, Dalglish gave Jay Spearing his first start and partnered him with Charlie Adam, who started in Liverpool's two Premier League matches thus far but is still settling into his new club.
Last year's "PFA Fans' Player of the Year," Raul Meireles, started in an advanced midfield position with Maxi making his season debut on the left and Jordan Henderson, in a similar scenario as Adam, starting out on the right.
From the first minute it was clear that Liverpool intended to play aggressive, fluid football.
Suarez was given free license to roam from touchline to touchline, opening up space, while Maxi consistently cut into the center of midfield to play short, one touch passes.
Spearing and Adam communicated well as they alternated between holding deep and making runs forward, but it was Meireles who shone brightest in the opening exchanges. Being utilized further forward than normal, the ex-Porto player spent the first 20 minutes expertly linking midfield with attack, and Liverpool's best passing combinations seemed to flow through him.
Unfortunately for the Portuguese international, his evening was cut short as a shoulder injury ended his participation in the 20th minute, and he was subbed for striker Andy Carroll.
In the 22nd minute, the Grecians, who showed an admirable willingness to attack the entire match, made a rare foray deep into Liverpool territory and were then burned by the ensuing counter attack.
Henderson's cross to the back post was punched by Exeter keeper Artur Krysiak right to Suarez, who made no mistake in firing the ball through some goal mouth traffic and into the net.
Although Dalglish will be disappointed losing Meireles to injury, he must have been encouraged to see Liverpool adapt to the inclusion of Carroll without deserting the game plan. The Reds incorporated the big striker's aerial and hold up abilities into an attack still centered upon playing on the ground through the midfield. With Suarez and Maxi freely dropping deep and roaming across the left half of the pitch, Liverpool overran Exeter in midfield and dominated possession.
The Reds continued to dictate the tempo of the game through the second half, and Suarez went from finisher to creator in order to give Liverpool a two-goal advantage in the 55th minute.
Henderson, who had been given a yellow card for simulation moments earlier, played a smart ball to release Suarez down the right channel and into the area. Suarez attempted to play the ball across to Carroll, but his pass was blocked straight back to him. Taking advantage of a second opportunity, Suarez again squared the ball across goal and this time Maxi, intelligently finishing his run from midfield, slotted it in.
Suarez was back at it again in the 58th minute, as he nutmegged one defender near the halfway line and made a direct run through space towards Exeter's goal. Approaching the penalty area, Suarez laid the ball off to Carroll, who took a few touches before ripping the ball past a diving Krysiak for Liverpool's third.
With the game already decided, Dalglish immediately introduced Stewart Downing in the place of Suarez, hoping to give the Uruguayan some extra rest ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter with Bolton.
Exeter would gain a little consolation in the 79th, as Daniel Nardiello earned and then scored from a penalty kick conceded by Skrtel, closing the scoring of the evening.
Overall, Liverpool dominated the proceedings and will be happy with Dalglish's decision to take the match seriously. The Reds saw impressive season debuts from Maxi and Jay Spearing, while Charlie Adam continues to get sharper with every match he plays.
Another huge positive was the way the team responded to the introduction of Carroll, appropriately fitting the big man's talents into the team's overarching pass-and-move philosophy.
The Reds will be looking to continue their good form when Bolton visits Anfield this weekend.
