Arsenal, Newcastle, and Liverpool secured their spots in the English League Cup semifinals on Wednesday, setting the stage for an exciting lineup of matches ahead.
Gabriel Jesus was the standout performer for Arsenal, netting a hat trick in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace. His second goal, however, came under controversial circumstances as he was in an offside position when he scored in the 73rd minute. This marks Arsenal’s first semifinal appearance since the 2021-22 season.
Liverpool continued their quest to defend their title with a 2-1 win against Southampton. Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott both found the back of the net in the first half, ensuring that Liverpool remains competitive both in the Premier League and Champions League.
Newcastle claimed a 3-1 victory over Brentford, largely attributed to two early goals by Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali. This marks the club’s second semifinal appearance in three seasons. Newcastle, owned by a Saudi consortium, last lifted a major trophy in 1955 and was the runner-up to Manchester United in the League Cup final earlier this year.
The final quarterfinal matchup will see Manchester United face Tottenham on Thursday, confirming that the last four will consist of some of the top clubs in English football.
Gabriel Jesus’s performance against Crystal Palace was particularly noteworthy as it came after a lackluster start to the season, where he had only managed to score once in 20 games across all competitions. This hat trick at the Emirates Stadium may have surprised many, especially considering his finishing ability. He displayed an exceptional chipped goal to equalize in the 54th minute and completed his hat trick with a confident low shot in the 81st. However, Arsenal’s 3-1 lead was narrowed when former player Eddie Nketiah scored a header for Palace, sparking some tension in the closing minutes of the match. Crystal Palace had initially taken the lead with a goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the fourth minute.
Liverpool has now maintained an impressive unbeaten streak of 20 games this season in all competitions, which is the first time they have achieved this since 1996, as noted by Opta statistics. Manager Arne Slot fielded a significantly rotated team against Southampton, yet they managed to dominate the game. Nunez relished his goal after being taunted by home fans earlier in the match, responding by silencing them with a “shush” gesture following his strike.
Following the sacking of Russell Martin after a heavy defeat to Tottenham, Southampton is now under interim coach Simon Rusk. This managerial change comes with the team sitting at the bottom of the Premier League standings. Slot had to observe the match from the stands as he was serving a touchline suspension due to a third booking incurred the previous weekend.