Liverpool vs Tottenham LIVE: Carabao Cup semi-final result and reaction as Reds run riot to secure place at Wembley
Liverpool 4-0 Tottenham: The Reds overturned a one-goal deficit versus Spurs to cruise into league cup final
Liverpool came from behind to thrash Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals as they defeated Ange Postecoglou’s side 4-0 at Anfield to book their place at Wembley.
Tottenham were on the back foot from the get-go as Liverpool suffocated the visitors forcing them deep into their own half and making it difficult to play out. Mistakes in midfield allowed the Reds to turn the ball over and find Mohamed Salah on the right wing. His cross found Cody Gakpo whose first-time shot put Liverpool ahead in the game, level in the tie.
The second goal came after the break. Salah feeding Darwin Nunez into the box and the forward getting brought down by goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. Salah converted from the spot and Liverpool’s dominance became assurance.
Dominik Szoboszlai added a third and Virgil van Dijk headed in the fourth to secure Liverpool’s spot at Wembley. They were too good for Tottenham on the night and set up a meeting with Newcastle next month.
Relive the action from Anfield with our live blog below:
Jamie Carragher slams Tottenham and claims ‘Accrington Stanley gave Liverpool more trouble’
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claimed League Two side Accrington Stanley were a more difficult opponent for the Reds than Tottenham in their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Arne Slot’s side romped to a 4-0 win in the second leg at Anfield, easily overturning the 1-0 deficit that they had faced from the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, when Lucas Bergvall had given his side the win.
And the abject nature of Spurs’ performance leaves yet more questions over the tactics and future of manager Ange Postecoglou, with Sky Sports pundits heavily criticising the Australian and his players.
Carragher questioned Spurs’ overall approach in a game that saw the visitors register zero shots on target, saying that Accrington Stanley gave Liverpool “more trouble” in the sides’ FA Cup meeting in January, which Liverpool also won 4-0.
Jamie Carragher claims Accrington Stanley ‘gave Liverpool more trouble’ than Spurs
Carragher’s comments come after Spurs’ abject performance saw them lose 4-0 in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final
Ange Postecoglou 'doesn't worry' about criticism of Spurs
Ange Postecoglou was asked about Jamie Redknapp’s comments afterwards, and replied: “"Why you asking me? Ask Jamie, he's made the comment.
"I know people get excited about things like that, people on TV give opinions, that's what they are there to do. My job is to manage this football club. Whatever people think or don't think is irrelevant, it doesn't really matter.
"I don't put any emphasis on it, or who we are. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion and express it. My view is I don't need to respond to that or be affected by it. I don't care, it doesn't worry me, it doesn't bother me."
'When do Tottenham ever win a big game?'
Tottenham are dealing with a long injury list but Jamie Carragher said he did not doubt that Liverpool would overcome their first leg defeat and added that no one, even the travelling Spurs supporters, “believed they were going to win”.
"It's Tottenham!” Carragher said. “When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?
"The odds were massively in favour against Liverpool, they're at Anfield, they're the best team in the country, possibly the best team in Europe right now.
"But it's not just this Spurs team. They never shock you, never do something out of the ordinary.”
Pundits rip into ‘horrendous’ Tottenham performance on ‘low night’ for Ange Postecoglou
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp was scathing assessment of Tottenham’s display, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher suggesting that League Two’s Accrington Stanley offered Arne Slot’s side more problems in their FA Cup third-round tie last month.
"I cannot remember a team in my lifetime go down with less of a fight with what Spurs did today," said Redknapp on Sky Sports. "Not having one shot on target in the semi-final of a second leg when you're trying to change the course of your history?
"I feel sorry for those players. I think Djed Spence played 14 different positions tonight. I've never seen anything like it. You have young players, you're meant to protect them.
"Archie Gray and [Lucas] Bergvall, they're young men and trying their best. But I'm looking at the experienced players today to lead and try and set the tempo. They didn't do that one bit.
“There's been some lows - Palace, Ipswich and Everton this season. But when you look at that today, the scoreline? Just horrendous."
Pundits rip into ‘horrendous’ Tottenham performance on ‘low night’ for Ange Postecoglou
Jamie Redknapp accused Tottenham of lacking fight after Ange Postecoglou’s side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool without managing a single shot on target during the 4-0 semi-final second-leg defeat.
Spurs took a 1-0 lead to Anfield but were blown away by the Premier League leaders in a one-sided victory. Goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk helped dismiss a Tottenham side who failed to land a punch.
Defeat signals a significant blow to Tottenham’s hopes of ending their trophy drought this season, with holders Liverpool progressing to face Newcastle at Wembley next month. Postecoglou’s side remain in the FA Cup and Europa League but are just 14th in the table, with the manager coming under further pressure.
Pundits rip into ‘horrendous’ Tottenham on ‘low night’ for Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham’s senior players came under fire after a toothless 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the semi-final second-leg
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking to ITV:
"Tough night. Credit to Liverpool they were way too good for us tonight. We never really got to grips with the game with or without the ball. We just allowed them to get control pretty early and it made it difficult for us to get in the game.
"Both of the first two goals we could have done better but ultimately what was really important was that we never played to our identity and strengths and shied away from the challenge a little bit.
"Overall we didn't start well and were way too passive and let Liverpool get in a rhythm. We still have competitions to play for starting on Sunday. With the opportunities we do have still, we have to tackle them in our way rather than finding different ways to win games."
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaking to ITV:
"We did very well. I am proud of the boys and now we look forward to the FA Cup. Gakpo is doing very well, we need him in the best shape of his life but he is doing so well.
"Everyone has to contribute scoring goals. We will face a very intense Newcastle.
“When the time is right we will prepare well. I'm always proud to be leading out the boys, but these occasions are special... when the time is there, we will be ready."
More from Postecoglou:
"We knew the first 20 minutes we had to keep it solid in terms of our decision making and to give them a second goal is disappointing.
"We never got to grips with any part of the game.
"No, it is not an emotion I feel [lonely]. I am disappointed that we didn't give a good account of ourselves.
"Very disappointed. We had a great opportunity, but unfortunately we didn’t grab it."
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking to Sky Sports:
"I guess that Liverpool deserved the victory. They were the far better team - we were not able to get a grip of the game.
"They were too good for us.
"We allowed them to get into the game and we were not as aggressive as we needed to be. We didn't get the game started off in the right footing.
"It was very difficult for us to wrestle that control back.
"We definitely needed to be braver with and without the ball. They're a very good Liverpool team in a good spell of form and they're very settled."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments