Liverpool news: The Reds beat Arsenal 2-0 to enter Carabao Cup final

Diogo Jota scored on either side of the half to take Jurgen Klopp’s side through to the final where they will meet Chelsea on February 27.

Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final fixture on Thursday; Credit: Twitter/@LFC
By Sreejith C R | Jan 21, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Diogo Jota scored a double as Liverpool defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg fixture at Emirates Stadium on Thursday. Arsenal had held on for a resilient goalless draw in the first leg seven days ago, but Jota scored on either side of the half to take Jurgen Klopp’s side through to the final where they will meet Chelsea on February 27. Meanwhile the Gunners saw another player dismissed as Thomas Partey, back from the Africa cup of Nations after Ghana’s early exit, was sent off in the 90th minute for two yellow cards having only come 16 minutes earlier.

Arsenal started the match brightly as Alexandre Lacazette’s well taken free-kick from the edge of the box struck the crossbar inside the opening five minutes. But a few minutes later, at the other end, Joel Matip had the ball inside the net as the central defender was alert to poke in from Fabinho’s header from a corner kick, but was flagged off-side.

Liverpool broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold played the ball to Jota on the left, who cut inside Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White before finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box with a scuffed effort. Apart from the Jota goal, there wasn’t too much of action in the first-half as both sides canceled each other out.

Four minutes after the break, Lacazette fired one over the bar after being chipped in by Lokonga. The French forward should have done better. Immediately at the other end, Jota does all the hard work before Gordon blasted over a sitter. 

Jota completes brace

Just before the hour-mark, Konate’s header hit the woodwork. And then, 14 minutes from time, Jota completed his brace to seal the win for Liverpool, once again it was from Alexander-Arnold’s pass. The English full-back played a brilliant overhead ball to find the run of Jota, who chested it down before lifting the ball over an advancing Aaron Romsdale to make the score 2-0. Although initially flagged off-side, the goal was eventually given after VAR intervention. 

Mikel Arteta’s desperately tried hard for a goal as Gabriel Martinelli’s powerful volley from the edge of the box went just over the bar. Klopp is now one step closer to a first domestic Cup trophy with the Reds.

Klopp said after the match: “We’re over the moon. It’s a difficult game, a difficult time generally, we just have to get through it. We try everything we can, and what the boys did tonight against a really strong Arsenal side was really exceptional.

“We scored two wonderful goals, Jota was on fire, but the passes too. I don’t think a lot of people in the stadium saw Diogo in that position for the second goal, but Trent did which was helpful and he finished it off – absolutely outstanding





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