Liverpool are on their way to Wembley once again. Arne Slot’s team delivered a dominant performance at Anfield on Thursday night. Convincingly defeating Tottenham to secure a place in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. The Reds, aiming to defend the trophy they won in dramatic fashion last season, overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with ease.
Goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk sealed the victory. This victory marked Slot’s first final in charge.
How Media Expressed About Liverpool’s Win
The performance caught the attention of the national media at Anfield. Here’s how they reacted to Slot’s latest victory.
Paul Joyce, writing for The Times, marveled at Liverpool’s ‘juggernaut’ as they effortlessly swept past Tottenham.
He writes: “Afterwards, Postecoglou lamented that the side sitting 14th in the Premier League did not reach their “levels” and there is always a temptation to trash the losers and correlate an inability to create chances with a lack of fortitude. But, seriously, imagine playing against this Liverpool team. “In the 93rd minute, with many of the disappointed Tottenham supporters having long since headed for the exits, Dominik Szoboszlai was chasing back when he might have taken a breather. “It was a moment that summed up the machine Slot has created, a juggernaut in which everyone plays their part without the slightest threat of an ego getting in the way.”
The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe believes Slot’s impact at Liverpool this season may actually have been overlooked, with complaints about the fixture list misguided.
He writes: “And yet not for the first time, for all the praise, there are likely to be caveats. This was, of course, ‘only Spurs’ – a team whose injury list will be used as mitigation for those who will say while Liverpool were good, the quality of the opponent must be duly considered.
“This has been a theme of Liverpool’s campaign. There are some who will have you believe it was mid-November before they played anyone half-decent. So be it, Slot might think. The hints of Liverpool being seriously underrated may be more help than hindrance as his side calmly and efficiently keep winning.
The truest assessment is Liverpool are getting better, stronger, fitter and more dominant. The periods of control are more sustained, opponents barely landing a jab.”
More About The Match
The in-form Mohamed Salah played a key role in Liverpool’s dominant display, setting up Cody Gakpo for the opening goal. Then calmly converting a penalty after Darwin Núñez was brought down by Tottenham’s struggling new goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.
Dominik Szoboszlai extended the lead to 3-0 with a well-taken finish after latching onto a smart pass from Conor Bradley, while Virgil van Dijk sealed a superb victory with a powerful header, echoing his match-winning goal from last year’s final.
Author’s Opinion
Liverpool are thriving under head coach Arne Slot, and winning the EFL Cup would secure his first silverware at Anfield. The team is also leading the Premier League by six points. Along with progressing in the FA Cup, and comfortably advancing to the Champions League last 16. Their season is shaping up impressively. While the EFL Cup may be the least significant of these four competitions, it could set the stage for a remarkable campaign for the Reds.
A rumor is circulating on Merseyside that Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have agreed new contracts with Liverpool. Fans are hoping it’s true, as both players showcased their immense value to the club in the dominant 4-0 victory over Tottenham.
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