Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Carabao Cup semi-final result, final score and reaction from fixture tonight
Follow the latest updates from the second leg as the Gunners and Reds fight it out to face Chelsea at Wembley
A match that finally took place, but there was no actual contest. Arsenal, it could be argued, still didn’t really play.
Liverpool reached a fifth cup final of Jurgen Klopp’s time, and the first in this competition in six years, by comfortably beating Mikel Arteta’s side 2-0 in the League Cup semi-final second leg. This one wasn’t about false positives but false advertising. It just wasn’t the game that was billed, and certainly didn’t live up the enjoyable chaos that the competition’s semi-finals often offer.
Arteta’s side clearly have so much promise but also some way to go, as they lost another big game. Liverpool, and especially Diogo Jota, were just too good for them. There was almost an inevitability about that given all the ructions of the last week and how the north London derby was postponed. Arsenal could point to a stretched squad and how Thomas Partey came on just hours after arriving back from the African Cup of Nations, only to be sent off in the aimless final minutes.
That ended up being indicative in another way, as it summed up how Arsenal were always stretching to try and bridge the gap to Liverpool, but Klopp’s side were too good.
A side without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane just showed Arsenal how it’s done, giving a semi-final occasionally clouded by an acrimonious atmosphere a muted finish.
Perhaps the only question from the entire game was whether Jota intended the finish that effectively settled the contest, or mishit it. It is someway irrelevant to the game, given the end result was a goal either way, but it was a rare moment when Aaron Ramsdale looked culpable. Follow all the latest reaction after Arsenal vs Liverpool below:
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
39 mins: Arsenal are going nowhere quickly. They’re struggling to beat the Liverpool press and their attempted long balls into the wide areas haven’t come off yet. It’s comfortable for Liverpool at the minute.
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
36 mins: Sambi Lokonga carries the ball into midfield and wins a free kick after getting hit with a late tackle. Liverpool were just imposing themselves on the ball but Arsenal have a decent period of possession but they haven’t been able to work it into the Liverpool final third. Tomiyasu and Saka are struggling to link up on the right-hand side.
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
33 mins: Close! Jordan Henderson leaves Arsenal fumbling in their own box with a driving up towards the penalty area. He feeds it over to Alexander-Arnold on the overlap and the right-back floats a cross to the back post. Jota wins the ball into the air and puts it into a dangerous area but there aren’t any of his teammates around and Arsenal clear their lines.
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
30 mins: Chance! Arsenal’s best chances have all come from Liverpool mistakes with Matip at fault for most of them. He gets caught on the ball again and the Gunners overload the Liverpool line. Saka runs into space on the right and is given the ball but Robertson is on top of him quickly and doesn’t allow the winger to cut onto his left foot. Instead Saka shoots with his right and Robertson blocks the effort behind for a corner.
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
27 mins: Arsenal have just stepped off Liverpool and are defending a little deeper. They realise that they can’t concede again anytime soon. Jota shows his strength in a tussle with Lacazette and shrugs the Arsenal forward away from the ball before sliding it across to Kaide Gordon. He puts a poor pass into the box and Arsenal get it back.
The Gunners fly forward on the counterattack with Martinelli sprinting down the left. He brings the ball into the area but is tackled with a perfectly timed challenge from Fabinho. Arsenal want a penalty but the referee waves for play to continue.
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool
24 mins: Luckily for Arsenal away goals are counted in this tie so they only need to score once to force the match into extra-time. Liverpool are growing in confidence since that goal. They look more solid when defending with Jota and Kaide Gordon pressing well up top.
GOAL! Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool (Jota, 19’)⚽️
19 mins: Liverpool lead! Arsenal started the game better but it’s Liverpool who strike first. Matip passes the ball into the midfield where Roberto Firmino backheels it up to Alexander-Arnold coming in from the right. He feeds the ball across to Diogo Jota to set up the goal. Jota cuts inside from the left and sits Tomiyasu down before shimmying past White and miscuing his shot at goal. The scuffed effort works in his favour though as it wrongfoots Aaron Ramsdale and sneaks over the line.
Arsenal 0 - 0 Liverpool
15 mins: Disallowed goal! Liverpool find the back of the net from the corner as Robertson’s delivery picks out Fabinho over on the far side of the box. He heads it back into the six-yard area where Joel Matip is waiting to tap it home. Almost immediately the offside flag goes up against Matip and VAR confirms the decision.
Arsenal 0 - 0 Liverpool
12 mins: That’s good work from Ben White. Liverpool win the ball off Tomiyasu in midfield and Curtis Jones slots the ball up to Diogo Jota. He bursts down the left channel and comes up against White who forces him to the byline. Jota’s only option is to cross and White blocks it behind for a corner.
Arsenal 0 - 0 Liverpool
9 mins: The Gunners have started well here. Liverpool have made a few sloppy mistakes. Joel Matip has given the ball away a couple of times already to leave his team flustered in defence.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s diagonal ball over to the left wing is won but Takehiro Tomiyasu who slots the ball to Martin Odegaard. He beats the Liverpool midfield with a pass past Fabinho and Emile Smith Rowe drives it forward. He plays Martinelli into the left side of the box and he floats a cross towards the back post. Saka gets in Kelleher’s way as the goalkeeper tries to get to the ball and the referee awards Liverpool a free kick.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments