Liverpool were patient and practical for as long as they had to be, before tearing Tottenham Hotspur apart in the second half of the League Cup semifinal second leg on Thursday.
NEWCASTLE 2-0 (4-0 agg.) ARSENAL - Highlights, recap & analysis
The Reds are through to the final after overturning Spurs’ 1-0 advantage from the first leg, as they scored four at Anfield, including three in a ruthless second-half performance.
Predictably, the field was steeply tilted toward one team’s goal for much of the game as Liverpool enjoyed 64 percent of possession and out-shot Spurs 26-5 (3.82-0.18 xG) on the night. Arne Slot’s side was relentless with its counter-press in the rare instance they actually lost the ball, which kept Spurs pinned deep in their own half and defending nearly nonstop for 90 minutes.
MORE — League Cup history, winners, finals
Spurs’ defense held it together for the opening half-hour, but the cracks had begun to widen long before Cody Gakpo opened the scoring and leveled the tie at 1-1 in the 34th minute. The goal lifted Anfield and Anfield lifted the team from there. Darwin Nunez won a penalty in the 50th minute and Mohamed Salah put it somewhere that no one in human history could reach. Liverpool didn’t relent once in front, though, as Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk added further insult to exhaustion for Spurs.
Liverpool will face Newcastle in the 2024-25 League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on March 16. Newcastle haven’t won a major trophy in 70 years (1955 FA Cup). Liverpool have won this particular trophy twice in the last three seasons and are the kings of the League Cup, having won it 10 times already.
Player ratings - Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur
What’s next?
- Plymouth Argyle vs Liverpool - Sunday, 10 am ET (FA Cup)
- Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur - Sunday, 12:35 pm ET (FA Cup)
- Everton vs Liverpool - Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2:30 pm ET (next PL fixture)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United - Sunday, Feb. 16, 11:30 am ET (next PL fixture)
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur live updates - by Andy Edwards
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur final score: 4-0 (4-1 agg.)
Goalscorers: Cody Gakpo (34'), Mohamed Salah (51'), Dominik Szoboszlai (75'), Virgil van Dijk (80')
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 (4-1 agg.) Spurs: Van Dijk thumps a corner kick home (80')
Virgil van Dijk finishes the job and heads home Liverpool’s fourth 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6ZRnZjJJaB
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 6, 2025
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 (3-1 agg.) Spurs: Szoboszlai slots home the clincher (75')
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 (2-1 agg.) Spurs: Salah puts it where no human who ever lived could get it (51')
Mo Salah flawless from the spot 🎯
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 6, 2025
That’s goal number 26 in all competitions for the Liverpool star ✨ pic.twitter.com/kd52Ml4nBm
PENALTY! Kinsky takes Nunez down after Salah’s pinpoint through ball
No doubt about this one, as Nunez was quicker to the ball than Kinsky.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 (1-1 agg.) Spurs: Gakpo hammers home at the back post (34')
Cody Gakpo made that look easy 😮💨
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 6, 2025
The Carabao Cup leading scorer scores his fifth of the competition 💥 pic.twitter.com/BQPfhCTQQO
It had been coming since the first whistle (9 shots for Liverpool, 0 for Spurs), and finally the hosts are ahead. Salah’s cross found its way through a crowd of bodies and Gakpo found a narrow alley to goal at the back post. A fine finish.
Liverpool starting lineup
Kelleher - Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson - Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai - Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup
Kinsky - Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence - Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr - Kulusevski, Son, Richarlison
How to watch Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday
Venue: Anfield — Liverpool
TV Channel/Streaming: Paramount Plus
The tournament’s all-time champions (10) are also the defending victors, having beaten Chelsea in the final last season despite a tremendous list of injuries. That will be met with a nod and wink from Spurs supporters. Lucas Bergvall gave Ange Postecoglou’s men a first-leg win against the odds, as Spurs were — and remain — injury-hit and were out-attempted 14-9 in North London.
The winner of this game will meet Newcastle in the final at Wembley on March 16.
Liverpool team news, focus
The Reds are largely healthy, and Arne Slot can give the match his full focus with a trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup next before next week’s Merseyside derby in the Premier League. He may split his “top unit” to some degree, but this will be a strong Liverpool looking to overcome a one-goal deficit.
QUESTIONABLE: Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh)
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
Spurs just can’t get closer to full health, as it seems like the minutes that have taxed their players during the first part of this long injury bug have worn down those who had to pick up the slack. Spurs best bet may be the defend but that goes against Postecoglou’s principles. Will being 90 minutes from a final change that? Micky van de Ven has made his comeback but is being eased back in.
OUT: Radu Dragusin (torn ACL - out for season), Dominic Solanke (knee - MORE), Brennan Johnson (calf), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Wilson Odobert (thigh), Timo Werner (thigh), Cristian Romero (quad), James Maddison (undisclosed) | QUESTIONABLE: Micky van de Ven (fitness), Guglielmo Vicario (fractured ankle - MORE)
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
Anfield will be a huge asset here, but Postecoglou’s tactics and ambition will tell the real story here. Spurs will likely go for a second goal, and of course they should, but will it be in a counterattacking mode? If this is a wide-open game, we’re afraid it’ll be turned on its ear pretty quickly given how Liverpool played against an open Brentford in a tough venue at the weekend. Liverpool 3-1 (3-2 agg.) Tottenham Hotspur
