LIVERPOOL have thrashed Tottenham to set up a blockbuster Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.
The Reds overturned the 1-0 deficit from the semi-final first leg into a 4-0 battering in the second leg after goals from Cody Gakpo, Mo Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk.
And the result puts more pressure on Spurs’ under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou.
The Magpies await in the big final after their dominant 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal.
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“I have no idea” – Van Dijk
Well, I guess the only slight blot on Liverpool’s horizons is the future of a few of their players, including Virgil Van Dijk.
But he’s still keeping his cards close to his chest.
Asked about his contract situation, the Liverpool captain responded: “What the future brings I have no idea. Anybody who says they know it – they are wrong.”
“They were too good” – Postecoglou
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: “Liverpool were too good for us tonight. We didn’t get into the game in the way we wanted to. We allowed them to get control of it.
“When they get into a rhythm, we didn’t give ourselves an opportunity to get a foothold in the game.
“We were way too passive in terms of our football with and without the ball. I think it is a lesson there for us. We cannot shy away from the football that we want to play.”
On a second season trophy: “We have given up a good opportunity tonight and we cannot shy away from that.
“We were in a good position to get to the final. Nobody needs to pick me up, I just need to pick up the players.”
Credit: GETTY “We will be ready” – Van Dijk
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.”
“We didn’t grab it” – Postecoglou
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.”
On the second half: “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.”
On feeling lonely: “No, it is not an emotion I feel. I am disappointed that we didn’t give a good account of ourselves.”
On players’ reaction: “Very disappointed. We had a great opportunity, but unfortunately we didn’t grab it.”
Credit: getty Ouch
“I think Accrington Stanley gave more than Tottenham tonight,” Jamie Carragher said.
He did caveat that by saying he’s not trying to make headlines. Might be unsuccessful with that one, Jamie.
‘A training game’
“I didn’t like the body language from the Spurs players – they were just jogging around,” Dion Dublin told the BBC.
“With Liverpool’s attitude towards winning they made it look like a training game.”
Records
So that’s a record-extending 15th League Cup final for Liverpool. They are already the competition’s most successful side with 10 wins – two ahead of Manchester City.
“When do Spurs ever win a big game?” – Carragher
“It was never in doubt before the game. It’s Tottenham! 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.
“I’m trying to remember the last big game they won: it was probably that semi-final against Ajax in the Champions League. I was in the stadium that night and I don’t want to take it away from Tottenham, but they were very lucky! They were battered for most of the game, it was a freak and they got two goals in the last minute.
“Whenever they go into a big game as a club, nobody ever believes they’re going to win. That’s not me as a Liverpool fan, those Tottenham fans there tonight – not one of them believed they were going to win and to go Wembley! They just won’t.”
Credit: GETTY “It was a great win” – Gakpo
Liverpool goalscorer Cody Gakpo, speaking to Sky Sports: “I think the stadium helped a lot. We knew we had to come back. We went out there and tried to bring as much chances as possible. With the quality we have, we know we are going to get chances.
“It was a great win.
“They [Liverpool fans] helped us a lot and it gives us extra energy. We are very happy with these fans.
“We are on the right track, but we have to take it game-by-game. Today it was a good job done – we are in one final, but we have a lot to play for.
“We are in a good flow at the moment, but we have to keep going. You know how football goes and it’s about consistency. We have to keep the momentum.”
Mr CarabaoCredit: GETTY
Next up?
It doesn’t get much easier for Tottenham, who will have to travel to face Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup without Richarlison on Sunday.
As for Liverpool, they also have some travelling to do but it’s against the Championship’s bottom club Plymouth.
“A damaging performance” – Michael Dawson
Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson perhaps wasn’t as… hard-hitting… as Jamie Redknapp, but he’s not impressed either — saying Tottenham lacked desire to “keep the ball out.”
“It was really, really damaging that performance,” he told Sky Sports.
“I knew it was going to be a tough task but did I expect it to be like that? I thought there would be more of a fight from the players.
“It was always going to be backs against the wall but they didn’t show any character in possession, out of possession and they didn’t how any desire to keep the ball out of the back of the net.
“To come here and get beat 4-0 without any fight and without a shot on target, it’s a damaging performance.”
Match report
Big Ange Postecoglou proudly boasts that he ‘always’ wins a trophy in his second season at a club – well his chances are diminishing.
Arne Slot, who makes no such brags, has clear sights on a quadruple after Liverpool swept aside a patched-up Tottenham to reach the Carabao Cup Final against Newcastle on March 16.
The only consolation for Spurs boss Postecoglou is that Slot’s men aren’t competing in the Europa League – a competition in which the north London side have reached the last 16…
Read the full match report from The Sun’s Chief Sports Writer, Dave Kidd.
Thumbs upCredit: GETTY The final
So now we know.
It’s Liverpool who will play Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, 16 March.
“I feel sorry for those players” – Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp hasn’t held back in his assessment of Tottenham tonight. Spurs ended that clash without a single shot on target, which is the first time ever under manager Ange Postecoglou.
“I can’t remember in my lifetime a team go down with less of a fight than Tottenham did today. Not having any shot on target in a semi-final second leg when trying to change the course of your history,” he told Sky Sports.
“I felt sorry for their young players. Djed Spence played 14 different positions tonight. I’ve never seen anything like it.
“The experienced players need to make sure they set the right tempo. They didn’t do that one bit. There’s been some lows but that today, looking at that scoreline, is just horrendous.”
No shots on targetCredit: GETTY Colossus
Since making his Liverpool debut in January 2018, Virgil van Dijk has more goals in all competitions than any other Premier League defender (26).
LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
FT: And that’s that, folks. Liverpool have demolished Tottenham in the Carabao Cup second leg to win 4-1 on aggregate.
Arne Slot’s side are still fighting on four fronts this season, and are one game away from successfully defending their League Cup title against Newcastle next month.
As for Tottenham? It’s back to the drawing board.
StraightforwardCredit: GETTY LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
90: Three minutes of added time.
Credit: GETTY LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
89: Liverpool’s four goals tonight take them to 521 goals in the League Cup, the outright most in the competition’s history.
LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
86: It should be five. Dominik Szoboszlai swings in a free-kick and Diogo Jota has a free header inside the penalty area but guides it wide.
Jarell Quansah replaces captain Virgil van Dijk, who gets a big hug from Dutch compatriot Cody Gakpo on the bench.
LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
84: “Liverpool have not got into the high gears tonight,” says former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin.
“It goes to show where Spurs are – pretty poor.”
LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM
83: Arne Slot has the luxury of making a few changes with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo heading off to be replaced by Harvey Elliott and Luis Diaz.
Must be saving them for that challenging trip to Plymouth.
LIVERPOOL 4-0 TOTTENHAM – VAN DIJK
80: Goal! It’s a rout, folks.
Tottenham are heading back down the M6 with a lot of thinking to do as Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk grabs a fourth for the Merseyside winning machine.
A corner is whipped in by Alexis Mac Allister and VVD rises unchallenged to head it emphatically beyond Kinsky.
Flying DutchmanCredit: GETTY LIVERPOOL 3-0 TOTTENHAM
79: The woodwork is rattled for the fourth time tonight as Son gets in down the left and slams a rising effort against the crossbar.
LIVERPOOL 3-0 TOTTENHAM
78: Those 6,000 travelling Tottenham fans are now silent. Daniel Levy doesn’t look much happier in the stands. He’s got a very big decision on his hands now.
Stick or twist with Ange Postecoglou?
LIVERPOOL 3-0 TOTTENHAM – SZOBOSZLAI
76: Goal! Game, set and match.
Liverpool are going to Wembley as Dominik Szoboszlai grabs a third for the hosts. It’s a well-crafted goal with Mac Allister finding Bradley, who knocks it onto Szoboszlai first time and the midfielder makes no mistake.
Szoboszlai celebratesCredit: GETTY
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
