Arsenal Knock Liverpool Out Of League Cup After Penalties

Arsenal held their nerve to reach the League Cup
quarter-finals as Bernd Leno saved two penalties in a 5-4 shoot-out
win over Liverpool after Thursday’s 0-0 draw at
Anfield.

Mikel Arteta’s side had already beaten Liverpool on penalties in
the Community Shield earlier this season and they repeated the
trick in the fourth round tie.

Joe Willock scored the winning penalty after Leno saved from
Divock Origi and Harry Wilson.

Adrian kept out Arsenal’s third spot-kick from Mohamed Elneny,
but Alexandre Lacazette, Cedric Soares, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and
Nicolas Pepe all netted before Willock sent the Gunners
through.

Arsenal, who haven’t lifted the League Cup since 1993, have won
three of their last four meetings with Liverpool in the space of
just 11 weeks.

Liverpool beat the Gunners 3-1 in the Premier League at Anfield
on Monday, but Arsenal took the spoils against the champions in the
league in July and the Community Shield in August.

Arsenal’s disciplined display was another sign that the FA Cup
winners are heading in the right direction under Arteta’s astute
leadership.

It was also revenge for last season’s League Cup defeat on
penalties against Liverpool, when the Gunners led 3-1 and 4-2 in a
thrilling 5-5 draw.

There was less drama until the shoot-out on this occasion as
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made nine changes, with only Virgil Van
Dijk and Mohamed Sal ah retaining their places.

Arsenal made eight changes as Bernd Leno, Rob Holding and Granit
Xhaka retained their spots.

Takumi Minamino should have put Liverpool ahead when the
Japanese forward volleyed against the bar from five yards after
Diogo Jota’s header was pushed out by Leno.

Leno underlined why Arteta decided to restore him to the team
and sell Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa, making a superb stop
from Van Dijk’s close-range effort and emerging as the hero in the
shoot-out.

‘Awful performance’

In Thursday’s other fourth round action, Stoke claimed a shock
1-0 win at Aston Villa, while Brentford reached the last eight for
the first time with a surprise 3-0 victory against Fulham.

Villa have won their first two Premier League games this season,
but boss Dean Smith made 11 changes for Stoke’s fourth round visit
and his understudies were not up to the task.

Stoke also fielded an under-strength team, but Michael O’Neill’s
Championship team won it in the 26th minute when Sam Vokes headed
in Jordan Thompson’s corner.

After reaching the final last season, when they lost to
Manchester City at Wembley, this was a more forgettable exit for
Villa.

“It’s a massive missed opportunity and I said that to the
players. I don’t often get into them at half-time but I did today,”
Smith said.

“With the tempo we played at it was a lacklustre first half and
an awful performance.”

Brentford earned a measure of revenge for their Championship
play-off final defeat to Fulham last season as they swept aside
their Premier League opponents.

Facing a struggling Fulham side who made a host of changes,
Thomas Frank’s team took the lead eight minutes before
half-time.

Iran midfielder Saman Ghoddos found space down the right and
squared the ball for Finnish youngster Marcus Forss to slam
home.

Said Benrahma, linked with several Premier League clubs, doubled
the Championship side’s lead when the Algerian forward arrived at
the far post to finish off Ethan Pinnock’s header.

Making his first start of the season, Benrahma finished off west
London rivals Fulham with a superb strike from long-range in the
77th minute.

“We are where we are. This is a team in transition, we came
fourth in the Championship last year,” Fulham boss Scott Parker
said.

“The players are learning. It’s new to them. When you go up to
the Premier League you need to learn quickly.”

Tottenham, Newcastle, Manchester City, Manchester United and
Everton reached the quarter-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday.

AFP

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