Liverpool thrash Spurs to reach League Cup final

AFP

Liverpool set up a League Cup final against Newcastle United after a 4-0 rout, and 4-1 aggregate victory, over a toothless Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Thursday.

The runaway favourites took the lead, to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against the injury-depleted visitors, when Cody Gakpo fired in a right-foot shot in the 34th minute from a Mohamed Salah cross.

Salah added his name to the scoresheet, shooting high into the net from the penalty spot in the 51st minute after Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky downed Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai slotted home the third and Virgil van Dijk completed the rout with a header.

Newcastle saw off Tottenham's north London rivals Arsenal 2-0, and 4-0 on aggregate, on Wednesday to secure their second final in three years on March 16.

"I think the stadium helped a lot. We knew we had to come back," Gakpo told Sky Sports.

"We went out there and tried to bring as much chances as possible. With the quality we have, we know we are going to get chances. It was a great win."

The final will be Liverpool's 15th in the League Cup but a first in English football for Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot, who replaced Juergen Klopp at the end of last season.

It also kept record 10-times League Cup winners Liverpool on course for a four-trophy haul this season.

They are six points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand, led the table into the last 16 of the Champions League and are still in the FA Cup.

Defeat was a bitter pill for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who has highlighted his record of winning something in his second season at a club but now has only the Europa League and FA Cup to aim for.

Striker Richarlison added to his injury concerns when he went off injured in first-half stoppage time, handing a club debut to new signing Mathys Tel.

That proved a baptism of fire for the Bayern Munich loanee, with Tottenham failing to muster a single shot on target.

Tottenham would have struggled even with a full roster of players against a side whose strength in depth was highlighted by the quality of Alexis Mac Allister and Diogo Jota coming off the bench in the second half.

The scoreline even flattered Tottenham, with a Gakpo shot deflected onto the upright by Kinsky and Ryan Gravenberch hitting the post in the second half.

Tottenham have not won any silverware since they beat Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final.

They had beaten Liverpool only once in their 27 previous games at Anfield since 1999.

More from Sports News

News

  • Dubai Police spearhead global fraud crackdown

    Dubai Police have led a major international operation targeting transnational financial crime, resulting in the arrest of 276 suspects and the dismantling of nine criminal centres linked to investment fraud and virtual currency scams.

  • UAE launches National Register of Modern Heritage

    The UAE has launched a National Register of Modern Heritage as part of wider efforts to preserve cultural landmarks and strengthen Emirati identity across future generations.

  • UAE leaders hold talks with Bahrain King

    UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain on Wednesday, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.