Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool set up a Wembley showdown with Chelsea
Updated
Thu 20 Jan 2022 17.20 EST
First published on Thu 20 Jan 2022 13.30 EST
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Jonathan Liew was our man at the Emirates this evening. His report is in, so get clicking. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Mikel Arteta’s turn. “We are really disappointed but we played against a top side and had big moments in the first half, and big moments in the second half. When you have those moments you have to score. We have to convert, but you have to score if you want to beat a team like Liverpool. We have played the last three games with ten men, it is difficult at this level to win matches. We will prepare to win our game against Burnley.”
Klopp is then told the final will be the first in English football history to be contested between two German managers. He breaks the fourth wall and, after a perfectly timed beat, says directly to the viewer: “Sorry!”
Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky Sports. “It’s great. It was time, pretty much. We are really happy about it. The players are over the moon. What the boys did tonight against a really strong Arsenal side was exceptional. It was lively but we calmed it down and played good football. We scored two wonderful goals. Wow, Diogo Jota on fire! The first goal was super play, but the second goal ... I don’t think a lot of people in the stadium saw him in that position, but Trent saw him. Outstanding. He has turned into a world-class striker.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold talks to Sky. “It’s good for us to get there. It’s what we expect. We’ve put in good performances in this run with a lot of youngsters, a mixed squad, but we’ve been able to win every game except the first leg. We performed very well tonight and it’s what we deserved. We never gave them too many chances, they had a free kick early doors to be fair, but other than that, we kept them at bay. Diogo’s first goal was outstanding, his second was outstanding again, he’s a world-class player in the best form he’s found at the club. Hopefully more goals for him and we’ll be able to get a win in the final.”
Arsenal were the better side for the first ten minutes, Alexandre Lacazette forcing Caoimhin Kelleher into tipping his free kick onto the bar. After that, it was pretty much all Liverpool, who thoroughly deserve tonight’s victory. Diogo Jota scored two fine goals. Trent Alexander-Arnold sprayed the ball around in his trademark style. Curtis Jones and Fabinho energised the midfield. Arsenal had no answer, and Mikel Arteta, his season over in terms of silverware, trudges morosely down the tunnel. Jurgen Klopp and his men cavort in front of their fans as the rest of the ground quickly empties. A big day out at Wembley against Chelsea coming up next month!
FULL TIME: Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool (agg: 0-2)
Liverpool will play Chelsea in the 2022 League Cup final on 27 February!
90 min +4: A long pass forward for Nketiah, who can’t control. Goal kick. Liverpool are so close now. Meanwhile on Sky, co-commentator Alan Smith, an Arsenal legend, names Diogo Jota as the man of the match. No surprise there.
90 min +3: “Yet another work event that turned out to be an ill-judged Partey.” Paul Griffin, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the Co-op wine.
90 min +2: Arsenal pass it around awhile. Liverpool hold their shape. Arsenal pass it out of play. A lot of slumped shoulders draped in Arsenal red.
90 min +1: In the first of five added minutes, Minamino is booked for a clumsy clatter into Tierney.
RED CARD: Partey (Arsenal)
90 min: Partey, no doubt tired of mind and body having only arrived back from Afcon this lunchtime, flies in studs up on Fabinho. It probably should be a straight red. It’s just a yellow, but it’s his second of the match, and Arsenal are down to ten men.
89 min: Minamino flies down the left and has options in the middle. He opts to send Robertson further down the wing on the overlap. Robertson’s low cross-cum-shot is easily gathered by Ramsdale.
88 min: Nketiah works hard down the right but he’s surrounded by yellow shirts and his eventual cross dribbles through to Kelleher.
87 min: Partey is booked for a late clip on Williams.
86 min: The game restarts. Still more than enough time left for Arsenal, as anybody who watched that outrageous game between Leicester and Spurs last night will confirm.
85 min: A pause in play as some uninvited halfwit cavorts across the pitch.
84 min: Neco Williams comes on for the quiet Firmino.
83 min: Konate and Alexander-Arnold faff about to the right of their own box, and very nearly let Martinelli in. But the ball ricochets through to Kelleher. Liverpool go up the other end, Jones bundling a shot wide left from distance.
82 min: Jones is booked for wrestling Odegaard off the ball.
81 min: Partey’s clever backheel, just to the right of the Liverpool box, finds Saka, who rolls across for Martinelli. The lively Brazilian swivels and rasps a shot over the bar from 12 yards. Very close to getting Arsenal straight back in this!
80 min: Remember, away goals count for nothing, so two goals for Arsenal would force this game into extra time.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool (Jota 77); agg 0-2
The goal’s given! Jota clearly onside! One corner of the Emirates erupts, the rest of the stadium falls silent.
78 min: VAR will check, though. It looked as though Jota was onside, Gabriel playing him on from deep.
77 min: Alexander-Arnold rakes a cross in from the right. Jota gets in between White and the out-rushing Ramsdale, chests down, and dinks over the keeper and into the net. The flag goes up immediately for offside.
76 min: Minamino sashays in from the right and tries to release Jota into the box. His dinked pass is half cleared to Milner, who crosses deep from the right. Robertson, flying in from the opposite flank, thrashes a fierce shot across goal and wide right by inches.
75 min: Liverpool respond by replacing a not particularly impressed Henderson with Milner.
74 min: A double change for Arsenal, as Smith Rowe and Lacazette are replaced by returning Afcon hero Partey and League Cup specialist Nketiah.
73 min: Liverpool deal with the corner easily enough.
72 min: Martinelli versus Trent take two. He wins this battle as well, slipping past the defender and sending a rising shot towards the near post. Kelleher does well to tip over. Corner.
