Liverpool Trounce Tottenham to Reach League Cup Final
Liverpool comprehensively overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach a record-extending 15th League Cup final, with a resounding 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield. Arne Slot’s men now have the opportunity to defend their title against Newcastle United at Wembley.
Newcastle’s success over Arsenal on Wednesday night no doubt provided encouragement for Spurs, who faced a similar task in preserving their 1-0 first-leg advantage. However, Liverpool were relentless from the start, and their defense, which had kept four clean sheets in their last eight matches, including debutant Kevin Danso, initially proved difficult to break down.
Cody Gakpo Levels the Tie
The turning point came in the 34th minute when Mohamed Salah’s outside-of-the-boot delivery found its way to Cody Gakpo, who calmly put the ball in the back of the net to level the tie.
Liverpool’s dominance continued, and they were unlucky not to take the lead before the break, with Antonin Kinsky producing a superb save to tip Salah’s volley onto the crossbar.
Liverpool Take Control with Two Second-Half Goals
The Reds’ pressure paid off early in the second half when Darwin Nunez was brought down in the box, and Salah confidently dispatched the resulting penalty to give Liverpool the lead in the tie.
Liverpool continued to create chances, with Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch both hitting the woodwork, but it was Dominik Szoboszlai who extended their advantage, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner after being played through by Conor Bradley.
Van Dijk Seals the Victory
Tottenham had a brief moment of hope when Son Heung-min struck the bar, but their misery was compounded when Virgil van Dijk out-jumped Kevin Danso to head in a fourth goal from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner.
The 10-time winners of this competition will now head to the capital in March, aiming to lift consecutive League Cups for the first time since their four-in-a-row triumph in the early 1980s.
For Spurs, manager Ange Postecoglou will know that his tenure may be on shaky ground if he cannot guide the team deep into both the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League.
Key Takeaways:
– Liverpool overcome 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach 15th League Cup final
– Cody Gakpo’s goal levels the tie before Liverpool take control in the second half
– Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk score for the Reds
– Liverpool now have the chance to defend their League Cup title against Newcastle
Call to Action:
Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion of the League Cup final at Wembley. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on the match between Liverpool and Newcastle United.
