Clash of the day | Liverpool ease into final

With trophy opportunities exclusively available only in the EFL Cup for Arsenal and Liverpool’s title challenge falling away against Manchester City, this tie has added significance.

The first-leg between these two finished goalless, with a first-half Granit Xhaka red card leading to Mikel Arteta’s side sitting back for an hour and not really being threatened by their opponents.

It is a match that has produced lots of goals in the past – regardless of the competition – and, given that goalless first-leg, the averages would suggest goals should be expected in this one.

THE MATCH

Action occurred right from the start with a fast Arsenal start leading to a lot of pressure on the Liverpool back four.

The hosts won a free-kick around 20 yards out inside the 18-yard box dee. Alexandre Lacazette stepped up and clipped a studied effort onto the cross-bar before The Reds managed to clear the danger from that.

Moments later the ball was in the back of the Arsenal net but it was disallowed for offside. A corner from Liverpool’s attacking left-hand side found Fabinho who managed to head across goal for Joel Matip to finish but Matip had been stranded in an offside position.

©Getty / Catherine Ivill

A fast start to the match continued with the opening goal coming a few minutes later inside the 20. Diogo Jota picked the ball up just inside the Arsenal half and drove at a disorganised defence, cutting inside onto his right foot before hitting a shot directed back across, albeit tamely and albeit down the middle, which wrong-footed Aaron Ramsdale and gave the visitors the lead. 

The rest of the half was quite scrappy and lacking in fluency with very few chances. Even chances that did come, like Bukayo Saka managing a shot on his right foot inside the area, was a limited opportunity.

Arsenal huffed and puffed but very rarely created anything in the second-half. The closest somebody came in the opening stages, in fact, was when Ibrahima Konate powerfully headed against the foot of the post from another dangerous Liverpool corner.

The most threatening team throughout the second-half was Liverpool and their superiority showed when a lofted Trent Alexander-Arnold through ball released Jota to expertly dink over an on-rushing Ramsdale to make it 2-0. The goal was originally disallowed but VAR intervened to show that the Portuguese forward had timed his run well.

After that it was a test of Liverpool managing the game well and whilst they did that in a very controlling manner, Arsenal gave them very little to worry about. 

©Getty / GIUSEPPE CACACE

The Gunners’ misery was complete when, fresh off the back of returning from the AFCON after a surprise early Ghanaian group stage exit, Thomas Partey was giving his second yellow card for a mis-timed challenge on Fabinho.

Liverpool will play Chelsea in the final at Wembley Stadium at the end of February. It is Jurgen Klopp’s first domestic final since reaching the EFL Cup final in his first half-season in charge, when they lost to Manchester City.

THE SUMMARY

Kick-off

13th min: Matip disallowed goal (0-0)

19th min: Jota goal (0-1)

Half-time 

77th min: Jota goal (0-2)

Full-time