LIVERPOOL are through to the Carabao Cup final after winning 2-0 at Arsenal in the semi-final second leg.
Portuguese sensation Diogo Jota scored both the games, which were both assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Jot on the cards
Jurgen Klopp reckons he always knew Diogo Jota would repay his £40million transfer fee.
The German master said: “We scored two wonderful goals, Diogo Jota is on fire.
“We were completely convinced when he arrived at the club he would help us massively.
“Since he is here he has made another step, he has turned into a really world class striker.”
Chances blown
Arteta knows his side paid the price for missing chances in both halves.
Lacazette was guilty of spurned opportunities, as was Smith-Rowe and Martinelli.
The Spanish boss said: “We are really disappointed not to be in the final but we played against a top side.
“We had big moments in both halves and when you have those moments you have to score.
“They had nothing and then got a bit of luck to score the first and then they put the game to bed.
“We pushed for the game but you have to convert your chances like Liverpool did.”
Yellow peril
The FA is investigating a yellow card an unnamed Arsenal player received in a Premier League game earlier this season.
Irregular betting patterns were noticed and the situation is being investigated.
Mikel Arteta knows about it and remains calm.
He said: “I am aware of it. Investigations are really common into certain things and we will see what happens.”
Art of war
Mikel Arteta defends Thomas Partey getting sent off in a 15 minute cameo.
The midfielder only flew into London at midday after a 12-hour flight back from Cameroon.
He said: “I regret that I cannot use him now, he made the effort to come and we had to play him.
“We decided to use him and unfortunately it happened. The red card was not because he arrived late.
“The red cards are a concern for me because we played the last three games with 10 men and it is extremely difficult to win football matches.”
Big Dijk hails little Jota
Liverpool giant Virgil van Dijk sings the praises of his side’s star striker.
Diogo Jota has grabbed the baton while Sadio Mane and Mo Salah are in cameroon for the Afcon.
He said: “Diogo Jota is already a fantastic player, the numbers speak for themselves.
“He is very important, he has shown it from last year and a difficult striker/winger to play against. I know it from training. He has stepped up tonight again.
“He took the second goal fanatically well, a great ball form Trent Alexander-Arnold and it put relief in the team.
“If it was 1-0 in the last 10 minutes it might have been tricky. We controlled the game overall and did not have massive chances.”
German double
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is informed the League Cup final with Chelsea will be the first British final contested by two German managers.
“Sorry!” he jokes when given the stat.
“We have plenty of time and games before then and it will not be about two german managers.
“It will be about two good football teams.”
Jota on fire
Klopp beamed: “A final at Wembley is great, it was due and we are really happy about it, we are over the moon.
“It was a difficult game and a difficult time but the boys made it an exceptional night.
“Arsenal started pretty lively, with the crowd, but we calmed it down.
“We scored two wonderful goals, Diogo Jota is on fire, absolutely outstanding.”
Alexander-Arnold loving fan power
The last time Liverpool had something to celebrate, covid rules meant fans were kept away.
So the assist king is excited to see all the Scousers at Wembley next month against Chelsea.
He said: “It is what we want, it was not the same when we left Anfield as an empty stadium (after winning the Premier League).
“It has been a while to lift a trophy and it is good for us to be in a final. There are still 90 minutes to do that against a top side.”
Mercy for Mikel
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has some sympathy for the struggling Gunners manager.
You can’t win everything with kids, apparently.
Merson says: “They will be disappointed and the problem Arteta has is this is a young team that can be up and down.
“Around 27 and older you get consistency, 7/10s week after week.
“But younger than that and you can lurch from 9s to 4s.”
TAA’s allstar
The Liverpool ace says: “It’s good for us to get to the final, it is what we expect.
“We performed very well tonight and we deserved the win.
“We never gave them too many chances, we kept them at bay and we created a couple ourselves.
“Both goals were outstanding and Diogo is a world class player in possibly the best form of his time here.”
League Cup Lovers from Liverpool
Liverpool’s victory tonight sees them qualify for the League Cup final for the 13th time, the most of any team in the competition’s history.
Nailing down the earliest possible trophy could help the Anfield club finish strong in other competitions.
Jurgen Klopp will be beaming.
Empty Emirates
No trophies in the beautifully crafted Emirates cabinet this year.
Will Arteta accept defeat graciously. Or will excuses tumble from his narrow little lips?
Either way, nothing to celebrate for the Gunners this season. Nada.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
All over.
Arsenal out.
Liverpool vs Chelsea in the League Cup final.
Partey cancelled. Work events hanging on by a thread.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
93 Liverpool threaten to add insult to injury, defeat and suspension but the Arsenal backline holds out.
Jota is named the MotM thanks to his two goals.
Partey was apparently third in the running among Gooooooners.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
92 Partey was sent on after 74 minutes.
Booked for the first time on 87 minutes.
And was running the early bath by 90.
Toodles Tom.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
90 Thomas Partey is sent off for two yellows.
He has been on just a few minutes.
He only landed in England at lunchtime back from Afcon.
Should not have bothered.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
89 “Mum, dad, I am going down the Emirates to launch myself onto the world stage and make my name.”
“What coat of you got on, don’t tell me it’s that ropey excuse for a parka again?”
“Yes it is thank you but it’s fine, the trim is just a bit worn.”
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
That parka has left a really bad taste in my mouth.
If you are going to get arrested while beging for the attention of tens of thousands of people, have a decent coat on.
I hope the police address this with him and confiscate the offending item.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
84 Bobby Firmino gets a rest so Neco Williams can have a few minutes of cameo action.
A dim-witted fan invades the pitch and teases the stewards until his capture earns a roar from the crowd.
The offender was wearing a cheap parka – you know the ones where the fur lining looks like a lanky squirrel has died on your mum’s anorak.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
82 Martinelli – by far Arsenal’s best player – blasts a self-made chance over the bar.
Jones gets booked for losing the ball and fouling his Arsenal counterpart.
Mikel Arteta’s men are going out with a bit of a whimper now.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2
76 Jota scores after beating the Arsenal offside trap.
The Liverpool forward sneaks in and dinks Ramsdale but the flag flies up and VAR checks
It takes an age but Martin Atkinson points to the centre spot.
Ruthless Liverpool, toothless Arsenal.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 1
74 Eddie Nketiah replaces Lacazette and Thomas Partey replaces Smith-Rowe.
Partey only landed in London this lunchtime after the Afcon.
Liverpool hack away everything Arsenal try.
James Milner comes on for Jordan Henderson.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 1
73 Martinelli gives Liverpool a brief fright but firing at the top corner on the angle but Kelleher palms it off for a corner.
Liverpool clear the next cross.
Martinelli tries again but the yellow defence is solid.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 1
71 Odegaard tries to muster an opening.
Martinelli does his best too but Van Dijk heads his cross away.
Liverpool’s defence is watertight.
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 1
69 Contract rebel Eddie Nketiah is preparing to enter the game for Lacazette.
His side is almost 2-0 down but Minamino fires into a haze of Arsenal bodies instead of the goal.
Liverpool are enjoying possession now while Arsenal are rushing and wasting theirs.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
