Liverpool toppled by Oldham
However, it was Liverpool youngster Raheem Sterling who was first to be booked for challenge on M’Changama which ultimately forced the Oldham midfielder off after just 10 minutes.
Robbie Simpson, a scorer at Anfield in Oldham’s 5-1 third-round defeat last season, was also cautioned for going in on Jones after the goalkeeper had failed to hold the ball — which turned out to be a pre-cursor of what was to come.
Former Everton midfielder Jose Baxter did his best to make life difficult for the red half of Merseyside, twice shooting wide from distance, but it was Suarez who was next to feature and significantly so.
The Uruguay international, captaining the side, set off on a driving run from deep and looked to pass but got a lucky rebound off defender Cliff Byrne and reacted quickly to hammer the ball inside Dean Bouzanis’ left-hand post.
It was his fifth goal in six FA Cup appearances and his eighth strike in as many games.
His touch to Jordan Henderson’s inswinging free-kick then diverted the ball into the net only to be denied by an offside flag.
Sterling should have scored after Suarez’s pass was backheeled into his path by Fabio Borini but he shot straight at the keeper. But Oldham remained unbowed as they took great heart from the physical battles they were winning and were rewarded with a second goal moments before the interval.
Smith, who had already had a header tipped over by Jones in added time, converted the simplest of chances after a howler by the Liverpool goalkeeper who fumbled Wabara’s cross to allow Simpson to square a pass for the striker to poke home.
Borini had the chance to equalise from Jack Robinson’s cross with the second half less than a minute old but he side-footed over and it proved costly.
The visitors’ defensive fallibility in the air was exposed again as Carl Winchester swung a cross to the far post and Wabara rose above Robinson to head over Jones into the far corner.
Steven Gerrard’s introduction from the bench was not long in coming and the England captain soon had a shot blocked from which Daniel Sturridge blazed over.
Allen pulled one back with 11 minutes to go to with a shot which deflected in off Baxter but Oldham held on to reach the fifth round for the first time in 19 years.
