(Getty Images)
The chance of a trophy and a spot in the final are on the line tonight, as Liverpool head to Arsenal with the League Cup semi-final tantalisingly poised after a 0-0 draw in the first leg. The Gunners clung on for the clean sheet and had a late Takumi Minamino miss to thanks, after they went down to 10 men earlier in the match following Granit Xhaka’s red card.
It means there’s everything to play for on the night, with one of these two sides progressing to face Chelsea in the final at Wembley. Since the first leg, the Reds have been back in action and back to scoring form, putting three past Brentford at the weekend which included Japanese forward Minamino netting the final goal for a moment of redemption after his first-leg miss.
Arsenal, however, had their match against Tottenham postponed following injuries, loaning out of players and a Covid case, leading to criticism from some quarters. Boss Mikel Arteta is behind upcoming plans to change the rules: “There are some rules to play a football match and when you cannot fulfil those rules or numbers, the game is off. It’s as simple as that. We cannot do it and maintain doing the same thing whilst saying ‘yeah they have to be discussed’ because they have already been discussed. It is time to change them if everybody agrees that it is the best way to do it.” Follow all the latest updates as Arsenal face Liverpool below:
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Is a penalty shootout likely?
The last two clashes between Liverpool and Arsenal in this competition have been decided by a penalty shootout and there was nothing to separate the team in the first leg.
Liverpool have been involved in 13 League Cup penalty shootouts, winning nine, as well as 17 out of 24 in all competitions.
Michael Jones20 January 2022 19:01
Arsenal vs Liverpool
Both managers have named strong line-ups. Arsenal are pretty much at full strength which shows the desire Mikel Arteta has to reach the final.
Liverpool have a few of their key players missing which provides Kaide Gordon a chance to impress in a big game but they’re full of experience with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in midfield and Virgil van Dijk organising the back line.
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:58
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Team changes
Mikel Arteta makes three changes to the Arsenal team that last lined up against Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Takehiro Tomiyasu comes in to replace Cedric Soares, Emile Smith Rowe returns to the team adn Martin Odegaard takes his place in midfield.
Jurgen Klopp makes two changes to the Liverpool starting XI that faced Brentford at the weekend.After sitting out the first leg to give Alisson Becker some gametime, Caoimhin Kelleher is back in goal and Kaide Gordon comes in for the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:53
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Lokonga, Odegaard, Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Lacazette
Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Jones, Gordon, Firmino, Jota
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:45
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Pepijn Lijnders on Arsenal
Liverpool’s assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders took the press conference for tonight’s match and spoke about Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. He said:
First of all, Arsenal always had really good players but, for me, they have a really good team at this moment. I think credit to Mikel [Arteta], they matured.
“You see many games where the team with 10 men plays better than the 11 – not play better but they give just this extra step, they give this extra [bit] more because they know they have one player less. What happens many times with the 11 players is that they do one thing less because they know they have one player more. That’s exactly what happened.
“Anyway, what I like about the Arsenal game is that we wanted to surprise them with our intensity and that’s what we did until [Granit] Xhaka went off.
“I really think that in football the only advantage exists if you go to the last minute of the game, to be honest. Before that, it’s quite even. I think Mikel did an unbelievable job. The team is a proper team. They were struggling as well with injuries and, how you said, COVID cases and they had to change as well in the last minute, but if you can play with 10 men like that then you have a mature and good team.”
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:43
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Recent results
Arsenal have not played since the first leg of this Carabao Cup semi-final. They were due to face Tottenham in a north London derby on Sunday but had their request for a postponement accepted from the Premier League despite only having one reported Covid-19 case.
Granit Xhaka’s 24th minute red card in the previous leg meant that the Gunners had to hang on with 10-men and since they secured a goalless draw will now fancy their chance in front of their home crowd.
Liverpool’s only fixture since the last leg was a Premier League match against Brentford at the weekend. The Reds found it tough to break through the Brentford defence and it looked as though they were head into the break on level terms before Fabinho opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time.
Second-half goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino secured the points for Liverpool. Minamino in particular will be pleased with his goal after missing a huge chance against Arsenal in this reverse fixture last week.
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:38
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Arteta on tonight’s game
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke about the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium and how the fans will give his players a boost in the crucial moments of tonight’s semi-final. He said:
We have the opportunity to get into a final, which is close to a title, against a big opponent, in our stadium, with our people, so we are very excited to play the game.
“They [the fans] are able to change the energy, the momentum of the game, give a massive lift to the players and give them confidence so if they can drive the team the way they have been doing recently, that would be incredibly helpful to give us the best possible chance to get in the final.”
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:35
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Robertson could reach 200
Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson could make his 200th appearance for the club in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal.
The Scot is one game away from bringing up his double century for the Reds, having arrived at the club from Hull City in the summer of 2017. Since joining Robertson has recorded 44 assists and scored six times.
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:32
Arsenal vs Liverpool: Injuries and absentees
Thomas Partey could feature for Arsenal this evening after his Ghana side were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations. Emile Smith Rowe, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Martin Odegaard are all doubts for the game.
Liverpool will be without Thiago Alcantara and Divock Origi who are both out until February at least and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who picked up an ankle injury in the match against Brentford.
Harvey Elliott and Nathaniel Phillips returned to training on Tuesday, though Elliot is still not fit enough to feature for the Reds. Naby Keita. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane are all still at the AFCON.
Michael Jones20 January 2022 18:28
Arsenal vs Liverpool latest news
Here are the route to the semi-finals so far both teams have taken:
Second round: 6-0 away to West Brom
Third round: 3-0 home to AFC Wimbledon
Fourth round: 2-0 home to Leeds
Quarter-finals: 5-1 home to Sunderland
Semi-final first leg: 0-0 away to Liverpool
Third round: 3-0 away to Norwich
Fourth round: 2-0 away to Preston
Quarter-finals: 3-3 home to Leicester, won on penalties
Semi-finals first leg: 0-0 home to Arsenal
(Getty Images)
Karl Matchett20 January 2022 18:27
