By: Shane Brennan.
Liverpool took on Arsenal on Thursday night in the second leg of the semi-final of The League Cup, Chelsea lay in wait for the winner at the end of next month.
Liverpool went into the game with a strong side, as they looked to right the wrongs of their outing against the same opposition just seven days previous.
However, it was Arsenal who started the stronger of the two sides as Andy Robertson took down Bukayo Saka in the third minute of the match to give The Gunners a free kick in an extremely threatening position.
Alexandre Lacazette took it an his shot came crashing back off the cross bar, but that was thanks to an astonishing fingertip save from Irish stopper Caoimhin Kelleher,
In the 13th minute, Liverpool won a corner kick thanks to Diogo Jota. From the resulting kick Fabinho won the initial header from which Joel Matip knocked the ball into the net, unfortunately the flag was up for offside as Liverpool’s joy was short lived.
Six minutes later, Liverpool took the lead from a quite wonderful team goal, which involved Roberto Firmino flicking the ball onto Trent Alexander-Arnold, he in turn found Jota who went on a solo run, leaving defenders in his stride before he struck a scuffed shot into the back of the Arsenal net to put The Reds 1-0 up on the evening.
In the 51st minute Liverpool had a huge chance to put the game to bed when Jota pitted his wits against Arsenal’s Ben White in a foot race, it was Liverpool’s Portuguese star who won the battle hands down, this enabled him to set up Kaide Gordon for a guilt edged opportunity, but sadly he could not keep his shot down and Arsenal were let off the hook.
Soon after, Alexander-Arnold whipped a corner into the Arsenal area, Ibrahima Konate made great contact with his head but he saw the ball crash back of the post as Arsenal clung on by the skin of their teeth.
Later on in the game, Alexander-Arnold picked out a pin point ball to Jota who controlled excellently on his chest before he chipped the ball over Ramsdale, into the net, and after a VAR check, the goal was given as Liverpool made sure that they would be heading down Wembley way once again,
Thomas Partey, who came on as a substitute, just a day after his return from the African Cup Of Nations, received his second booking of the match to cap a miserable night for a sorry Arsenal side.
It was Liverpool’s turn to head to Wembley for the first time in a domestic cup final since 2016, where they will do battle with old foes Chelsea.
