Liverpool progressed to the last eight of the League Cup with a penalty shootout out win over Arsenal, after the game went the distance following an incredible 10-goal thriller at Anfield.
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Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal (5-4 on pens)
League Cup Fourth Round, Anfield
October 30, 2019
Goals:Mustafi OG 6’, Milner 43’, Oxlade-Chamberlain 58’, Origi 63’, 90+4’; Torreira 19’, Martinelli 26’, 36’, Maitland-Niles 54’, Willock 70’
Jurgen Klopp rung the changes on Wednesday evening, handing a debut to Neco Williams and a first start to Sepp van den Berg, with Caoimhin Kelleher, Rhian Brewster and Harvey Elliott also making their maiden Anfield appearances from the off.
Unlike Arsenal who boasted considerably more senior faces throughout their squad, the presence of experienced figures were sprinkled predominantly in Liverpool’s starting XI as a further six academy members took their place on the bench.
The Reds got an immediate boost of confidence as their early dominance led to Shkodran Mustafi finding the back of his own net after failing in his attempt to clear Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s delivery across the six-yard line.
And while Klopp’s side had quickly got on the front foot in proceedings, three successive defensive lapses saw the visitors take the advantage on the scoreboard, first through Lucas Torreira – who appeared offside, but the game was without VAR – and then a double from Gabriel Martinelli.
While Liverpool’s unforced errors at the back were proving costly, a late bout of pressure saw James Milner convert from the spot after Elliott was impeded, handing the Reds a lifeline on the cusp of half-time.
A similar end-to-end affair followed after the break as both sides swiftly found the net, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles the beneficiary as Milner’s poor back pass was punished.
But Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain swiftly pegged one back against his former side with a thunderous strike from outside the area before Divock Origi levelled the scores with a sweet strike of his own.
It was not all she wrote, however, as Arsenal answered with a curling long-range effort through Joe Willock for the ninth goal of the evening, and while it appeared as though the Gunners would progress to the next round, Origi again came up trumps to take the clash to penalties.
And with Kelleher denying Daniel Ceballos and Curtis Jones converting the final spot-kick, Liverpool successfully progressed to the last eight to cap off an incredible night under the lights at Anfield.
