Liverpool will face Newcastle in the English League Cup final after achieving a commanding 4-0 victory over Tottenham on Thursday.
This impressive display allowed them to overcome Spurs’ 1-0 advantage from the first leg of the semifinal, culminating in a 4-1 aggregate win. Under the guidance of Arne Slot in his inaugural season, Liverpool remains in pursuit of an extraordinary quadruple of titles.
Cody Gakpo, a forward for Liverpool, emphasized the importance of maintaining focus despite having reached the final. “We are in one final, but we have a lot to play for still,” he remarked after netting the opening goal during the first half at Anfield.
Following Gakpo’s early contribution, the scoring continued in the second half with goals from Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk, leading to a one-sided semifinal clash.
The final is set to take place at Wembley Stadium on March 16, providing Liverpool an opportunity to defend the title they claimed last year. If successful, it could be just the beginning of a remarkable season for Slot, who took over the managerial role following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
Currently, Liverpool is leading the Premier League, advancing into the Champions League round of 16, and competing in the FA Cup.
On the other side, Tottenham’s overwhelming loss is likely to fuel further discussions surrounding the future of their manager, Ange Postecoglou. With the team sitting in 14th place in the league and only managing four wins in their last 13 contests across all competitions, the pressure is mounting.
Statistics show that, for the first occasion under Postecoglou’s management, Tottenham failed to register a shot on target in a match. The League Cup had seemed to offer a chance for the Spurs to capture their first trophy since they last won this same competition in 2008.
Postecoglou acknowledged the missed opportunity, stating, “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.” He added, “Nobody needs to pick me up, I just need to pick up the players.”
Liverpool’s performance showcased their dominance this season as Gakpo’s first-time finish in the 34th minute equalized the aggregate score. From there, Liverpool asserted total control. Salah converted a penalty kick in the 51st minute after Darwin Nunez was fouled, Szoboszlai completed a beautiful team move with a low shot in the 75th minute, and Van Dijk capped the evening by heading home a fourth goal from a corner just five minutes later.
The League Cup was the last trophy secured by Klopp during his successful tenure with Liverpool, winning against Chelsea in the final last year. At that time, the team was also competing for a quadruple but ultimately finished with just one trophy. In contrast, Slot’s squad looks well-positioned to challenge for several titles, enjoying a six-point lead in the league.
“It’s not normal to reach a final; we should always be aware of that,” Slot added. For Newcastle, this final represents a significant opportunity to break a 70-year drought for major domestic trophies. Their last achievement was the now-discontinued Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969, with their most recent domestic triumph occurring in 1955 when they won the FA Cup.
Despite being acquired by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in 2021, Newcastle is still eager to end this trophy-less stretch. However, their recent 4-0 aggregate victory over Arsenal, Liverpool’s closest title competitor, highlights the potential threat posed by Eddie Howe’s squad in the upcoming final.
