Conor Bradley admitted Liverpool found it difficult to break Tottenham down during the first half of Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg. The Reds ran out emphatic 4-0 victors on the night, with Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk all scoring, but Bradley's comments indicate that the team found it harder than the scoreline suggests.

The aggregate score was 1-1 at half-time of the second leg, before Liverpool scored three times in the second half to secure a place in March's Wembley final versus Newcastle. Spurs appeared to abandon the gung-ho approach they have become known for under Ange Postecoglou in the first half, instead opting for a pragmatic game plan which took Liverpool by surprise.

READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: double injury update, Conor Bradley praise, Arne Slot press conference

READ MORE: Arne Slot explains surprise Alisson absence and drops first selection hint for Carabao Cup final

Bradley admitted: "It was different to what we were expecting, but it was difficult in the first half to break them down." Having eventually broken the visiting team's resolve and emerged as comfortable winners, Bradley said of the Reds' victory: "I loved it. We knew it was going to be a difficult game. Buzzing to get through to the final."

The final will be Arne Slot's first chance to win some silverware at Liverpool, with the Reds head coach still in the running for four trophies in his very first season at Anfield. "I'm sure he is buzzing with it," Bradley said about Slot. "It is his first attempt to get there [Wembley] and he has got there. I am happy for him and he has been unbelievable since he has come in. He has developed me a lot and I'm really happy to play under him."

Slot was also full of praise for Bradley during a press conference on Friday ahead of Sunday's trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, as a reporter asked whether the youngster's performances this season prove that he is ready to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, should the England international leave the club this summer.

"You've come up with a different idea of asking this question (about Trent leaving)!" Slot joked. "I think it's fair to say that for many positions we have many good players. I can go through the whole team telling you this. It's normal if you work at a club of this magnitude, that you have more than 11 good players."