Liverpool have booked a place in the Carabao Cup final after smashing Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their semifinal clash at Anfield on Thursday. After Lucas Bergvall put Spurs ahead by one goal in the first leg in North London, the rematch saw Cody Gakpo (34′), Mohamed Salah (51′ pen.), Dominik Szoboszlai (75′) and Virgil van Dijk (80′) score to make the aggregate score 4-1.
Teams
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot could not call upon defenders Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold through injury, and some players were rested as what’s been a fantastic season progresses into its crucial stages. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker was left out completely, while midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and forward Luis Diaz started on the bench.
Caoimhin Kelleher started in goal. The usual centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate was flanked by Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson. Curtis Jones ed Ryan Gravenberch in the middle of the park, with Dominik Szoboszlai in a more advanced role. Darwin Nunez led the attacking line, with Mohamed Salah on his right and Cody Gakpo on the left.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has had numerous injury problems recently, particularly in defence. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, arguably the best centre-back partnership at the club, were both out, as were the first-choice goalkeeper and left-back, Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie. Radu Dragusin, the first centre-back backup option, is expected to miss the rest of the season. The team had to make do without the creativity of James Maddison in the middle of the park, while the attacking section was bereft of Dominic Solanke, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson. Pedro Porro was left on the bench.
Antonin Kinsky stood between the posts. Newcomer Kevin Danso, recently signed on loan from Lens, ed veteran Ben Davies in the heart of defence, with Djed Spence on the left and Archie Gray on the right. Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Mata Sarr formed a rather physical midfield line. Up front, recently recovered Richarlison was flanked by Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski.
Key moments
Amid a charged atmosphere, Liverpool and Tottenham delivered a frantic, physical opening at Anfield, though clear chances were sparse. Salah’s deflected shot, easily gathered by Kinsky, was the best early opportunity.
Liverpool began to assert control around the 30-minute mark, with Nunez forcing a save before Szoboszlai’s one-on-one finish was ruled out for offside. Their breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Gakpo met Salah’s cross and powered it past Kinsky.
Tottenham’s only response in the half was a long-range effort from Kulusevski that sailed over. Things worsened for Spurs as Richarlison limped off, paving the way for Mathys Tel’s debut.
Liverpool’s dominance continued after the break, earning a penalty five minutes in when Kinsky fouled Nunez. Salah converted emphatically into the top corner. Gakpo and Gravenberch came close to extending the lead, the latter striking the post.
The third goal came when Bradley set up Szoboszlai for a composed finish. Spurs’ fightback saw Son hit the bar, but Van Dijk sealed the victory with a towering header, reminiscent of his decisive contribution in last season’s final against Chelsea.
Alexander-Arnold not irreplaceable for Liverpool
Tottenham might have seen Trent Alexander-Arnold’s absence as a glimmer of hope heading into this clash. However, Conor Bradley’s impressive performance at right-back quickly dashed those expectations.
Not only did Bradley effectively neutralize Son, winning 8 out of 10 duels, but he also posed a significant attacking threat. His standout moment came with a brilliant assist for Szoboszlai’s goal.
Bradley’s display underscores Liverpool’s remarkable depth, a crucial factor in their successful run to the final. It seems that Alexander-Arnold leaving for Real Madrid at the end of season wouldn’t be such a heavy blow for Slot’s team after all.
Stage set for a great Wembley final
In the early rounds of the Carabao Cup, Slot’s selections made it clear that the competition was his lowest priority among Liverpool’s four campaigns. However, his approach shifted noticeably during the semi-finals, and now, with a Wembley trip secured, the tournament has taken on greater significance for the Dutchman.
The final on 16 March offers Slot his first opportunity to claim silverware, while potentially providing a crucial confidence boost for challenges in other competitions. The Dutch tactician and his team will be determined to get the job done under the arch, but it won’t be an easy one, as Liverpool’s latest clash with Newcastle – a thrilling 3-3 draw at St. James’ Park – showed clearly.
Postecoglou under increasing pressure
For much of this season, the Carabao Cup appeared to be Ange Postecoglou’s best chance of fulfilling his promise to deliver a trophy in his second season at Tottenham.
However, after a humbling defeat by arguably the country’s best team, Postecoglou’s options for silverware are dwindling.
An FA Cup fourth-round trip to Aston Villa this weekend presents a tough challenge, and any hopes of a Premier League title push are already out of the question. the Lillywhites are currently 14th with just 27 points from 24 matches, and at this pace, they’ll likely seek to avoid being involved in a relegation battle later on. Naturally, the situation has prompted suggestions in the media that Postecoglou’s spell at the club might come to an end soon.
If the Europa League becomes Spurs’ best shot at success, their typical rotation strategy for that competition may need to be abandoned in the latter stages. Fewer injury problems wouldn’t be bad either.
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
