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Postecoglou sacrifices ‘Angeball’ to park the bus but Tottenham still thrashed by Liverpool

kieran crichard
·43-min read
Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring the opening goal
Liverpool remain on course in all competitions they have entered this season - Getty Images

Unusually Ange Postecoglou parked the bus. But it is Liverpool who may be planning another open-top parade. The Carabao Cup is fourth in their list of silverware priorities, but they are in the final and, with it, have the chance to earn a first trophy under Arne Slot and retain the last one they lifted with Jürgen Klopp.

Not that this was insignificant. The celebrations, led by Slot, as Dominik Szoboszlai scored Liverpool’s third goal – confirming their meeting at Wembley, where they will face Newcastle United – were unbridled. Anfield bounced and Postecoglou was goaded with chants of being sacked.

For Tottenham Hotspur the wait continues. Earlier this campaign their head coach declared he always wins a competition in his second season, but it will not be this trophy, and his frustration at the end was all too obvious as he accused his team of being far “too passive”. The lack of “Angeball”, or any semblance of fight or intensity, was shocking.

Spurs are still in the FA Cup, with a tricky fourth-round tie away to Aston Villa, and are in the last 16 of the Europa League, so they still have a chance of fulfilling Postecoglou’s pledge.

There had been speculation that losing this semi-final would cost him his job. The expectation is that it will not, Spurs are committed to him this campaign, and actually the Europa League – with the prize of a Champions League place – is far more meaningful.

But this will hurt. A lot. And not least because of what Slot has done with Liverpool, where he has been such an assured, impressive successor to Klopp. The Dutchman was, of course, Spurs’ first choice as their head coach in the summer of 2023. He held talks but then signed a new deal at Feyenoord, with Postecoglou eventually hired.

The truth is Spurs, in front of 6,000 of their fans, were never in this game. Not for a minute. Yes, they are depleted (with 10 injuries but still with eight internationals in their team) and yes, they were always up against it in taking a slender lead to the home of the best team in Europe at present, but this was far from the “are you not entertained”, attacking tactics that Postecoglou pledged he would not veer away from.

His previous absolutism has been divisive, leading to praise that he is determined to do it his way and even more criticism that he is so unbending. He bent on this occasion and Spurs snapped.

There was an inevitability about Liverpool’s win and, given Spurs’ tactics, it was worrying for them how they apparently set out defensively and still got thumped. Their expected goals? It was an astonishingly, unambitious season-low of just 0.18 (against Liverpool’s 3.82), with just five shots in total.

Their previous worse? That was 0.71 against Arsenal, when they had 15 shots. Son Heung-min did strike the crossbar here – when it was 3-0 – but Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher did not have a shot to save.

How can that be? It fed the belief that Spurs continue to choke in the big games even if – until now – under Postecoglou they have always at least given it a go. Even in conceding six at home to Liverpool in the Premier League earlier this season they scored three.

“Our intent was to go out and play the same way as we play every week,” Postecoglou later protested. Fair enough, but it simply did not look like that.

Ange Postecoglou cuts a frustrated figure on the touchline
Ange Postecoglou saw his side concede four times and fail to even test the Liverpool goalkeeper - Reuters/Dylan Martinez

Spurs defended far deeper than usual, for a start. Maybe they were forced back. But, again, it looked like they sat in and certainly did not commit to a high defensive line. And when they did break it was not in numbers. On one occasion Richarlison – lost to a calf injury before half-time – attacked but it was only him and Dejan Kulusevski against eight Liverpool players who ran back.

Later Kulusevski ran the ball into the corner. It was still in the first half.

In midfield the intent was that Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma would give them more of a solid base. But they were overrun. In defence there was a debut for new signing Kevin Danso – with the other new signing Mathys Tel replacing Richarlison further forward – and while he started well he, too, was eventually overwhelmed.

It also does not help that 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky is rash and does not spread confidence while Archie Gray was – again – played out of position. He started at right-back and switched to left-back and was caught ball-watching for Liverpool’s opening goal.

That goal, in truth, was a collective failure, which sums up the state of Spurs. The ball was sloppily given away by Bissouma and everyone was slow to react before Mohamed Salah’s cross ran through to Cody Gakpo, who scored for the seventh successive game at Anfield. Postecoglou turned and shook his head.

That goal only drew the tie level, but already it felt over as a contest. And so, soon after half-time, Kinsky conceded a penalty as he rushed from goal to bring down Darwin Nunez and Salah beat him powerfully from the spot. It was his 26th goal of the campaign and there was an even greater roar from the Kop as he tapped the Liverpool badge on his chest.

That put Liverpool ahead and already it felt like a question of how many they would score. Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch both struck a post – Kinsky had earlier tipped a Salah effort onto the crossbar – before Spurs were carved open and Szoboszlai side-footed home the third goal.

After Son’s shot, Liverpool went straight down the other end with the imperious Virgil van Dijk heading in a corner. It summed up the gulf.

10:36 PM GMT

Liverpool’s four goalscorers

10:32 PM GMT

More from Postecoglou, talking to ITV

10:31 PM GMT

Conor Bradley speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live

“I loved it. We knew it was going to be a difficult game. Buzzing to get through to the final.”

On Tottenham’s tactics:

“It was different to what we were expecting, but it was difficult in the first half to break them down.”

On Arne Slot: 

“I am sure he is buzzing with it. 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 am really happy to play under him.”

10:30 PM GMT

Sky’s Jamie Redknapp on Tottenham’s tactics

“Yes, they have had injuries but there are still enough players there to cause Liverpool some problems. There have been defeats to Ipswich, Leicester, Crystal Palace and Everton. Everyone seems to find a way of beating this Tottenham side.

“The manager baffles me with his tactics. I think he is completely lost in what he is trying to do. This is what I do. You have to adapt and you have to change. If you have not got the personnel you want then you have to make sure your tactics are spot on.

“Look at Newcastle, Eddie Howe showed how you beat an Arsenal side by going man-to-man and being aggressive. Newcastle will not give Liverpool the respect Tottenham gave them. Tottenham showed them far too much respect.”

10:28 PM GMT

Michael Dawson on Sky

“Ange [Postecoglou] was very honest to say Liverpool dominated from start to finish. He looks lonely there on his own. He is going through a challenging time. The players have to give more than they are giving at this moment in time. The senior players.

“Son is someone we have talked about for years and years in this Premier League and how good he has been. But when the going gets tough, and we have all been through it, you have to look to your senior players and help them young players.

“But believe me, that was a low, low night for Spurs.”

10:26 PM GMT

Completely one-sided match

Jamie Carragher has just said on Sky that League Two Accrington Stanley posed more of a threat against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup than Tottenham did tonight.

10:24 PM GMT

The thoughts of Ange Postecoglou

“Ultimately Liverpool fully deserved the victory tonight. They were the better team. We just were not able to get a grip in any part of the game defensively or with the ball. They were too good for us.

“We allowed them to get into the game, we were not aggressive as we needed to be. Again, we did not start the game off on the right foot, it allowed them to get comfortable. Once they got comfortable, it was difficult for us to get some control back.

“We definitely needed to be braver with and without the ball. It is easier said than done in a place like this. I guess it is a very good Liverpool team in a good spell of form and very settled. It is what we needed to do and we did not do it.

“We did not have a great first half and were very much in the game. We knew the first 15 to 20 minutes of the second half, we needed to keep it solid in terms of our decision-making. To give them a second goal was disappointing. But we never got to grips with any part of the game today. They were too good for us.”

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks down to the ground during the match
Tottenham were utterly dominated by Liverpool this evening - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

10:22 PM GMT

Virgil van Dijk speaking to ITV

10:20 PM GMT

More from Jamie Redknapp on Sky

“We expected more from Tottenham tonight. I cannot get my head around them not having one shot on target in a semi final.

“I know it is difficult because you have a one-goal lead and you are coming to Anfield, but in the first half they are trying to play it out from the back, the goalkeeper is edgy and the midfield never showed any courage to get on the ball and make things happen. They were so abject and it was not the inexperienced players, it was the experienced ones.”

10:18 PM GMT

Jamie Carragher on Sky

“It was never in doubt before the game. It is Tottenham! When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?

“The odds were massively in favour against Liverpool, they are at Anfield, they are the best team in the country, possibly the best team in Europe right now. But it is not just this Spurs team. They never shock you, never do something out of the ordinary.

“I am trying to remember the last big game they won: it was probably that semi-final against Ajax in the Champions League. I was in the stadium that night and I do not want to take it away from Tottenham, but they were very lucky! They were battered for most of the game, it was a freak and they got two goals in the last minute.

“Whenever they go into a big game as a club, nobody ever believes they are going to win. That is not me as a Liverpool fan, those Tottenham fans there tonight - not one of them believed they were going to win and to go Wembley! They just won’t.”

10:17 PM GMT

Great moment for the ball boy

10:16 PM GMT

Salah’s 26th goal of the season

10:15 PM GMT

Another League Cup final for Liverpool

10:15 PM GMT

Next month’s League Cup final

10:12 PM GMT

On their way to Wembley

10:12 PM GMT

Zero

10:11 PM GMT

Sky’s Michael Dawson on Tottenham

“It was really, really damaging that performance. I knew it was going to be a tough task but did I expect it to be like that? I thought there would be more of a fight from the players.

“It was always going to be backs against the wall but they [Tottenham] did not show any character in possession, out of possession and they did not how any desire to keep the ball out of the back of the net. To come here and get beat 4-0 without any fight and without a shot on target, it is a damaging performance.”

10:08 PM GMT

Van Dijk got Liverpool’s fourth

10:07 PM GMT

Jamie Redknapp on Sky

“I cannot remember a team in my lifetime go down with less of a fight with what Tottenham did today. Not having one shot on target in the semi-final of a second leg when you are trying to change the course of the history?

“I feel sorry for those players. I think Djed Spence played 14 different positions tonight. I have never seen anything like it. You have young players, you are meant to protect them.

“Archie Gray and [Lucas] Bergvall, they are young men and trying their best. But I am looking at the experienced players today to lead and try and set the tempo. They did not do that one bit.

“There have been some lows, Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Everton, this season. But when you look at that today, the scoreline? Just horrendous.”

10:02 PM GMT

Man of the match Cody Gakpo

“The stadium helped a lot. We knew we had to come back from 1-0 behind so we went out there and tried to create as many chances as possible. With the quality we have, we know we are going to get big chances and hopefully score. Very big performance from the whole team and a great win.

“The fans were fantastic like always. They helped us a lot today, they gave us extra energy time and time again. We are very happy with these fans.

“We are on the right track but we have to take it day by day, step by step. We are in one final, but we have a lot to play for still. We have to focus to reach as much as possible.

“We are in a good flow at the moment, we have to keep going. It is about consistency. We have to keep the momentum.”

Cody Gakpo celebrates Liverpool's first goal
Cody Gakpo got the scoring going for Liverpool tonight - Getty Images

10:00 PM GMT

FT stats

Possession: Liverpool 64%-36% Tottenham

Shots: 26-5

Shots on target: 10-0

Corners: 14-4

Touches in opposition box: 55-8

09:57 PM GMT

Full time

There is the final whistle and the defending champions Liverpool are into back-to-back League Cup finals. They have booked their place at Wembley, a 15th time they will play in the League Cup final, and will meet Newcastle in the final next month.

09:55 PM GMT

90+1 mins: Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0 (4-1 agg)

Son shoots from just outside the Liverpool box but his curling effort goes just over Kelleher’s bar. The Liverpool keeper had it covered.

09:54 PM GMT

90 mins: Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0 (4-1 agg)

There will be three added minutes.

09:50 PM GMT

85 mins: Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0 (4-1 agg)

Another chance for Liverpool. Szoboszlai flicks in a delightful cross from a free-kick which Jota meets but his header goes wide. He is normally so good in those positions and so good with his head but not so much on this occasion.

Liverpool’s final change sees captain van Dijk go off to a standing ovation, replaced by Quansha.

09:48 PM GMT

84 mins: Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0 (4-1 agg)

Liverpool are running riot. Jota is the latest to have a shot, which is deflected wide for a corner. Some Tottenham fans have seen enough, already leaving their seats to start the long journey home to north London.

The longer this second leg has gone on, the more Spurs’ first leg win over Liverpool has looked like the shock result of the season.

The Spurs fans have seen enough. They’re all heading to that bus Ange parked. It’s been parked so badly it is probably on a double yellow line.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has his hands on his head
Tottenham being destroyed at Anfield - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

09:46 PM GMT

82 mins: Liverpool 4 Tottenham 0 (4-1 agg)

Another double change for the hosts as Salah and Gakpo come off to rapturous applause and are replaced by Elliott and Diaz.

09:44 PM GMT

GOAL! Van Dijk adds another for Liverpool

4-0 on the night, 4-1 on aggregate. Liverpool have wasted so many corners tonight but not this one. It is sent into a dangerous area by Mac Allister and there is no stopping a powerful header from van Dijk.

09:44 PM GMT

79 mins: Liverpool 3 Tottenham 0 (3-1 agg)

Liverpool are pouring forward. Robertson is in space in the left-hand channel and, with Gakpo occupying Porro, he has space to take on a shot, which is deflected behind for another Liverpool corner...

09:42 PM GMT

78 mins: Liverpool 3 Tottenham 0 (3-1 agg)

Son strikes the bar. He has been very quiet tonight but nearly gets a goal back for the visitors. He has space on the left and, from a narrow angle inside the box, fires a shot towards goal that smashes into the bar.

09:39 PM GMT

GOAL! Szoboszlai adds Liverpool’s third

A sublime goal for the hosts. Mac Allister picks it up just inside his own half and picks out the inside marauding run of Bradley. The Northern Irishman plays a first-time pass inside to Szoboszlai, who takes one touch and slides it past Kinsky into the bottom corner. Liverpool now lead 3-1 on aggregate.

Liverpool have been purring, especially in the second half. The move for the third summed it up. Bradley and Szoboszlai have been outstanding. It’s not just Liverpool’s quality on the ball that stands out, but the speed with which they get it back.

09:38 PM GMT

74 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Gravenberch hits the post. Moments after he actually did not take advantage of a through ball into Jota, the Dutchman strikes from ranger and smashes into the outside of Kinsky’s right post.

09:36 PM GMT

73 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Postecoglou must be ecstatic his side is still only one goal from forcing extra-time. They’ve been outclassed. The visitors are now relying on some cup magic to shift the course of this tie.

09:36 PM GMT

72 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Gray sends in a cross that forces Kelleher to tip over the bar but the flag is up to say it went out before it reached Kelleher. Gray looked perplexed at that decision as he felt the ball had not gone out.

Liverpool are making their first two changes of the night as Nunez and Jones are replaced by Jota and Mac Allister.

09:34 PM GMT

69 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Salah plays the ball forward to Szoboszlai down the right and he spots Gakpo in space out on the left. Bergvall crucially intercepts for the visitors but the hosts have a corner. Konate wins the header but it goes over the bar.

09:32 PM GMT

67 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Spence fires a shot away from the right-hand side of the Liverpool box but his shot misses the target. He hit it powerfully but Kelleher had it covered at his near post.

09:27 PM GMT

63 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Nearly a third for Liverpool. Jones finds Gakpo on the left-hand side of the box and the Dutchman fires a shot across goal. Kinsky gets his fingertips to it and the shot hits the outside of the far post.

09:25 PM GMT

61 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Gakpo picks out Szoboszlai in the centre of the box and he heads it towards goal first time but it is straight at Kinsky. He was pretty much at the penalty spot so to generate the power from there to beat Kinsky would have been quite some effort.

Moments later Bradley does brilliantly down the right and picks out Nunez, whose first-time effort goes into the side netting.

09:22 PM GMT

59 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Bentancur shoots from range but his effort goes high and wide. It would perhaps have been more apt on a rugby pitch than a football one.

09:20 PM GMT

57 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Double Tottenham change as Porro and Bergvall are replacing Sarr and Bissouma.

09:18 PM GMT

55 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Tel has barely touched the ball but he wins a corner off Konate on the right-hand side of the Liverpool box. Kulusevski sends it in but Nunez heads emphatically away.

09:17 PM GMT

53 mins: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0 (2-1 agg)

Time for Ange-ball now? Liverpool had three shots in five minutes before winning the penalty. To say a second was coming is an understatement. Spurs need to revert to their plan A or it’s all over.

09:14 PM GMT

GOAL! Salah gives Liverpool the lead in the tie

Emphatic! Kinsky went the wrong way but it would not have mattered even if he went the right way. Salah curls it right into the top left corner and celebrates in front of the Kop. That is his 26th goal of the season.

09:13 PM GMT

PENALTY LIVERPOOL!

Salah plays the ball forward to Nunez and he is always going to get to it first ahead of Kinsky. He plays it round the Tottenham keeper and is taken down. An easy decision for referee Craig Pawson and VAR quickly confirms that decision.

Darwin Nunez fouled by Antonin Kinsky
Liverpool have the chance to take the lead in the tie from the spot - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

09:11 PM GMT

46 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Liverpool nearly get their second just 30 seconds into this second half. The ball comes to Salah on the right-hand side of the box. He cuts inside Spence and tries to beat Kinsky at his near post but the Tottenham keeper gets down to his left to parry behind for a corner. Robertson’s first delivery goes behind for another corner and his second finds Szoboszlai at the near post. The Hungarian’s flicked header is saved by Kinsky. It was straight at Kinsky but it came past a number of bodies and Gakpo was right there to take advantage had Kinsky made a mistake/

09:09 PM GMT

Second half

We are back under way at Anfield. The tie is level at 1-1 as, in theory, we head into the final 45 minutes of the tie. If it is still level at the end of these 90 minutes, we would go to extra time and potentially then penalties.

09:06 PM GMT

Corners

Liverpool had nine of them in the first half but wasted pretty much every one. They did not fashion any good opportunities from any of the deliveries and Arne Slot will want to see his side take advantage more of corners in the second half.

09:02 PM GMT

Jamie Carragher on Sky

“It has been a typical Liverpool performance at Anfield. The opposition have been suffocated.

“Successful passes in the final third for Spurs? Ten. For a [Ange] Postecoglou team, that is nowhere near enough.”

09:00 PM GMT

Another Anfield goal for Gakpo

08:59 PM GMT

HT stats

Possession: Liverpool 73%-27% Tottenham

Shots: 11-1

Shots on target: 4-0

Corners: 9-3

Touches in opposition box: 29-4

08:56 PM GMT

HT verdict

Postecoglou will have mixed feelings. He’ll be content the floodgates didn’t open after conceding, but he needs his side to start creating chances. Unless he is playing for penalties, of course. Has Ange ever parked the bus before?

08:53 PM GMT

Half time

That is it for the first half and Liverpool lead 1-0 on the night courtesy of Gakpo’s goal and the tie is level at 1-1.

08:51 PM GMT

45+5 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Bradley tries to pick out Jones in the centre of the box but Spence does well to head behind for another Liverpool corner. Can the hosts send in a good delivery? No they cannot as Szoboszlai’s outswinger ends up going out of the box. Arne Slot will be very frustrated with the deliveries from corners tonight as none of them have actually led to a genuine opportunity. It has so far been too easy for Tottenham to defend the corners.

08:48 PM GMT

45+3 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Tottenham deal with the initial corner but Kinsky makes a meal of the second cross from Szoboszlai. The Tottenham keeper is under no real pressure but he punches behind for another corner.

This time it is Robertson to send in the cross but once again Liverpool’s delivery has let them down tonight as Tottenham can head away at the near post.

08:46 PM GMT

45 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Tel is coming on for his Tottenham debut, replacing Richarlison.

There will be seven added minutes at the end of this first half.

Another night, another injury for Spurs as Richarlison limps away. Whatever their conditioning training is, it probably needs a revamp.

Richarlison walks off the field injured
An enforced injury change for Tottenham at the end of the first half - Jon Super/AP

08:45 PM GMT

44 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Richarlison goes down but play is allowed to continue. Gakpo goes past Gray on the left-hand side of the box and stands up a cross to the back post. Salah volleys into the ground and Kinsky is forced into a good save, tipping it onto the bar and over for a corner.

Tottenham are going to have to make a change and a debutant is set to come on.

08:42 PM GMT

42 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Kulusveski is in space outside the Liverpool box and decides to shoot towards the far corner but cannot keep his effort down and it goes sailing over Kelleher’s bar.

08:42 PM GMT

41 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Beautiful feet from Gravenberch allows him to take the ball forward into the Tottenham box and he wins the hosts yet another corner but, as yet, they have not been able to take advantage of any of them and once again they cannot carve out a genuine opportunity from a corner.

08:40 PM GMT

39 mins: Liverpool 1 Tottenham 0 (1-1 agg)

Bradley puts in a crunching challenge on Son and then wins his side a corner off Spence. That tackle was reminiscent of Bradley’s on Mbappe against Real Madrid earlier in the season. Tottenham deal with the corner.

08:34 PM GMT

GOAL! Gakpo brings the tie level

Liverpool have the opening goal of the night and we are all square in the tie. Salah’s cross with the outside of his left foot from the right-hand side of the box comes through the box. Nunez tries to flick it on but misses. It comes to Gakpo at the back post, where he smashes it first time past Kinsky. Gakpo now has 10 goals in his last 10 appearances at Anfield and has five in this competition so far this season.

Gakpo is quite the unsung hero at Anfield. He wasn’t a definite starter at the beginning of the season. Now he is undroppable.

08:33 PM GMT

33 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Jones wins a corner off Bissouma and takes it quickly. Robertson then picks out Salah at the far post and you expect Salah to do so much better but he wastes the chance as he kicks out of play.

Bissouma then goes down for a few moments looking like he is struggling but he gets back on his feet.

08:31 PM GMT

31 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Liverpool have the ball in the back of the Tottenham net but the offside flag goes up. Salah plays it forward into the box into the path of Szoboszlai, who beats Kinsky but the flag is up. Replays show he was offside so no goal.

08:30 PM GMT

30 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Chance for Liverpool. Gakpo stands up a good cross from the left into the centre of the area, where Nunez meets it. He gets up well and gets a decent connection on it but it is straight at Kinsky.

08:29 PM GMT

29 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

As in the first leg, it’s a more pragmatic Spurs, willing to drop deep and defend their penalty area. It’s a fine between resisting pressure and inviting it, but - as it stands - Spurs are worthy of a description rarely used in this era. Robust.

08:28 PM GMT

27 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Liverpool appeal for a penalty as Nunez’s shot strikes Gray but no penalty. VAR quickly checks but nothing going there.

08:28 PM GMT

26 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Salah’s pass towards Jones and Nunez inside the Tottenham box is deflected and nearly beats Kinsky but rolls just wide of the far post so Liverpool will have the corner. Liverpool absolutely waste it though as they take it short and go miles backwards before hoofing forward but it comes to nothing.

08:25 PM GMT

25 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Liverpool are dominating in terms of possession (73%), shots (three) and touches in the opposition box (12) but are yet to get on the scoresheet tonight.

Tottenham have a corner but Liverpool then counter. The hosts take it into the Tottenham half but the visitors stop the counter-attack.

08:22 PM GMT

21 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Bradley sends in a dangerous ball to the back post and, with Robertson right behind him ready to pounce, Gray heads behind under pressure for a corner.

Szoboszlai sends it in but Richarlison is on hand to head away from danger for the visitors.

08:20 PM GMT

19 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Bradley is fouled and Liverpool have a good chance of whipping the ball into the Tottenham penalty area. Szoboszlai sends it in but he cannot beat the first man as Spence heads away.

08:18 PM GMT

17 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Gravenberch is penalised for fouling Richarlison inside the Liverpool half which will give Tottenham the chance to send it into the Liverpool box. Son takes and Konate’s header comes off Bradley and behind for a Tottenham corner.

Son also takes the corner but Nunez heads away at the near post.

08:13 PM GMT

12 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Liverpool have their first corner of the night as Davies blocks an attempted Bradley cross on the right-hand side of the box. The hosts take it short and then whip it in. It is flicked on at the near post and then Kinsky makes a meal of catching the ball and is lucky that the ball does not fall at the feet of a Liverpool player six yards out.

Play is then stopped so that Davies, who has blood coming down his forehead, can receive some treatment after Kinsky had collided into him at that corner.

Antonin Kinsky and Ben Davies collide
Friendly fire - Carl Recine/Getty Images

08:10 PM GMT

10 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Gray is very lucky. Deep in his own half his pass is intercepted by Gakpo and the ball nearly goes straight to Nunez just outside the Tottenham box but the visitors are able to clear.

08:10 PM GMT

9 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Nunez is now back on.

08:08 PM GMT

7 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

After a period of pressure from Liverpool inside the Tottenham penalty area, Nunez has gone down and is receiving some treatment.

08:07 PM GMT

6 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Salah takes on a shot from just inside the Tottenham box after the ball is laid back to him by Szoboszlai and his deflected effort is saved by Kinsky. That deflection could have gone anywhere.

08:05 PM GMT

4 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Salah plays a ball into the right channel trying to find Nunez but Kinsky is out of his goal to come and gather.

08:03 PM GMT

2 mins: Liverpool 0 Tottenham 0 (0-1 agg)

Play is halted as Richarlison is down rolling around holding his face. He was scrapping with van Dijk. When Richarlison gets eventually gets up he confronts van Dijk again and the Liverpool captain just shrugs him off. Referee Craig Pawson steps in to have a word with both players.

Ex-Everton striker Richarlison trying to take on Anfield single-handed is a bold idea. He’s clearly come for a battle with Van Dijk. Not sure they are in the same weight division, but the Brazilian is up for it.

Virgil van Dijk and Richarlison clash
Early confrontation - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

08:00 PM GMT

Kick-off

We are under way at Anfield. Who will join Newcastle in the final at Wembley next month?

07:58 PM GMT

Kick-off fast approaching

Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at Anfield.

07:57 PM GMT

Arne Slot talking to Sky

“With Darwin [Nunez] and Curtis [Jones], two players are coming in who did not play last week. It is going to be three or four months of many games and you cannot do it with 11.

“If one of them gets injured, then one of these does not have any game load at all. That is why it is important to rotate a bit, but not too much because you want to keep the core of the players.

“We all know what is at stake. We and Tottenham want to reach the final. They are one goal up and that makes it tougher for us, but the home fans are there for us.”

07:56 PM GMT

Reminder of the teams

Liverpool: Kelleher, Bradley, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.

Substitutes: Jaros, Endo, Diaz, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

Tottenham: Kinsky, Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence, Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son.

Substitutes: Austin, Porro, Reguilon, Bergvall, Ajayi, Cassanova, Olusesi, Moore, Tel.

07:50 PM GMT

Sky’s Jamie Carragher on Ryan Gravenberch

07:47 PM GMT

Ange Postecoglou talking to Sky

“It was our goalkeeper we threw in [on debut] in the first leg so it is something we are doing regularly because of our situation.

“Kevin [Danso] has come in and he has settled in really well. He is pretty calm, matured and an experienced guy. We are putting him in today.

“It depends on the game. Brentford, we had to do things differently because of the nature of the game. We are not going to sit back and let them come at us, we have to try and play our football.

“It is a semi-final of a competition where there is a big prize. Irrespective of who you are playing and where you are playing. So give the best of yourself and enjoy it because the alternative is sitting on the couch and listening to some mug like me instead of being involved. We are involved tonight and that is the main thing.

“Every game is big for us. The league game on Sunday was big for us, the last European game was big for us. It shows we are doing something right, because we are on the verge of doing something special.”

07:45 PM GMT

Hosts gearing up

07:43 PM GMT

Sky’s Alan Smith on Darwin Nunez

07:40 PM GMT

Tottenham debut for Danso

07:37 PM GMT

Phone call to Mathys Tel that proves Ange Postecoglou’s pulling power

Everybody has seen the social media clips, the memes and heard the awkward interviews of Ange Postecoglou snapping at questions he has not liked, and yet Mathys Tel is the latest player to have fallen for the seductive telephone manner of the Tottenham Hotspur head coach.

Chairman Daniel Levy could have saved himself an airfare by putting Tel straight on the phone with Postecoglou, rather than boarding a plane to Germany to get the cold shoulder from the French teenager.

A couple of hours talking to and exchanging messages with Postecoglou made up Tel’s mind to such an extent that Postecoglou confidently declared the forward will definitely make his loan move permanent at the end of the season.

Postecoglou has proved himself to be Tottenham’s smooth talker, not only convincing Tel to swap Bayern Munich for a club 14th in the Premier League table, but also wooing the likes of James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall.

For more from Matt Law, click here.

07:32 PM GMT

Premier League considers cutting winter transfer window to two weeks

Premier League clubs are considering reducing the winter transfer window to two weeks and closing the summer transfer window before the beginning of the season.

The proposal to reduce it from its current length has been raised in talks between clubs since the end of the most recent window on Monday, which ran from January 1 to February 3. The aim is that it minimises disruption to managers and their squads once the games begin.

The summer window ended before the start of the season in 2018 and 2019, but this was abandoned because other leagues in Europe kept their window open until the end of August. Since then Saudi Arabia’s Pro League has become a major influence in the market and it is likely to be open for the full scope of the window – as laid out by Fifa.

The debate over the timing of transfer windows happened at a meeting of sporting directors of the 20 Premier League clubs on Thursday. The owners and chief executives will decide whether the proposal has any chance of going to a vote.

Our chief football writer Sam Wallace has the exclusive story.

07:28 PM GMT

Jamie Carragher on Sky

07:24 PM GMT

Full team news

Liverpool make four changes to the side that beat Bournemouth 2-0 last time out in the league. Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones, Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher come into the starting XI. Trent Alexander-Arnold is injured whilst Alisson has been rested.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Bradley, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.

Substitutes: Jaros, Endo, Diaz, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

Tottenham make two changes to the side that beat Brentford 2-0 at the weekend. New signing Kevin Danso starts in defence, replacing Pedro Porro, and Pape Sarr replaces Mikey Moore. Mathys Tel, who joined on loan from Bayern Munich on deadline day, is on the bench.

Tottenham: Kinsky, Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence, Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son.

Substitutes: Austin, Porro, Reguilon, Bergvall, Ajayi, Cassanova, Olusesi, Moore, Tel.

07:21 PM GMT

Conor Bradley speaking to Sky

07:18 PM GMT

Visitors arriving

07:14 PM GMT

Alisson rested

An instant debut worked for Antonin Kinsky in the first leg. [Ange] Postecoglou is hoping Kevin Danso repeats the trick.

The manager who vowed he would never change his style did in fact embrace pragmatism in the first leg. Presumably he will be less gung-ho at Anfield too. Liverpool will hope not.

Liverpool are suggesting Alisson has simply been ‘rested’. Suspicious minds will find that hard to understand given the next game is Plymouth away. But hey-ho. That’s the official line.

Arne Slot kept a straight face when saying only Trent Alexander-Arnold was the high-profile absentee ahead of the game. Clearly the Dutchman is quite the poker player.

07:12 PM GMT

Jamie Redknapp on Sky

“It feels bit more low key this one. Ange Postecoglou has said all season he does not change, the team seems strong.

“There is a little bit of spice from the first leg, Liverpool feeling hard done by thinking [Lucas] Bergvall should have been sent off. It should be a great atmosphere tonight.”

07:09 PM GMT

Hosts arriving

07:05 PM GMT

Slot’s self-assuredness growing by the week

Arne Slot’s self-assuredness as Liverpool manager is growing by the week. Indeed, one wonders if the occasional wry smile when persistently quizzed on Liverpool’s transfer policy, possible vulnerability in the event of injuries and potential distractions caused by contract ‘rebels’ hides a degree of bemusement.

Liverpool’s results and performances are compelling evidence that those in charge of the football operations know what they are doing, creating the ideal conditions for a successful season. Slot believes the club’s work off the pitch can be most fairly assessed thanks to the standards being delivered on it.

“I have to steal something Jürgen said. It is also very important that the fans leave the stadium thinking: ‘When do they play again?’ I like that sentence a lot because I would love us as managers being judged more on that than only on trophies,” said Slot.

“How do they play? Is it nice to watch them? Are the fans looking forward to the next game already? I agree that we are more mostly judged on the trophies we win, but I judge myself and the players on work rate and the quality they bring during every single game. Jürgen was so unlucky that he played against City and over 90 points was not enough. How can that happen?

“For me, the only thing that is important is that every time the players go out they work very hard and try to win every single game. And do this in a certain playing style. That is where my main focus is on and I have been long enough in this job that if you focus on trophies or results, that’s not going to be very successful. We have to focus on how we play. It sounds so simple, but to work as hard as this team does, every three days is far from simple. That is where my main focus is on and not on how many trophies or even if we win a trophy. But I do want to win the League Cup.”

07:01 PM GMT

Tottenham team news

07:00 PM GMT

Liverpool team news

06:55 PM GMT

Slot aiming to join Clough, Fagan, Mourinho and Guardiola

What links Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest, Joe Fagan at Liverpool, Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?

For all four, winning the League Cup was the first stop on the road to history-making dominance, with the league title following three months later.

Arne Slot hopes to join that select group by making the League Cup the first of many following his arrival in English football. That may explain why he baulked at the suggestion Thursday’s semi-final against Tottenham Hotspurs ranks fourth on his priority list amid a title and Champions League quest.

Slot is effectively two wins away from replicating Jürgen Klopp’s final year at Anfield, with plenty of scope to eclipse it. To downplay the significance of the ‘lesser’ competition would suggest Liverpool managers are judged to a higher standard than most others.

“I think people were a bit worried about what will happen after Jürgen. So now we’re already in the situation where if we win the League Cup it is not enough anymore?” smiled Slot, suggesting with tongue in his cheek that upon his appointment there were some who considered finishing 10th in his first season would have been a reasonable start.

Reaching a final in his debut year, Slot argued, would be a notable achievement.

“It cannot be underestimated,” he said. “Maybe some of these players are already used to Wembley, but it would be my first time to go to Wembley. If you go to England people are talking about Wembley as an iconic stadium, especially if it’s a final. So you can be sure that we as a team want to win that game [on Thursday] to go to Wembley.”

06:48 PM GMT

A place at Wembley up for grabs

Liverpool welcome Tottenham to Anfield looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the League Cup semi-finals. Ange Postecoglou’s side won the first leg 1-0 in north London last month after a controversial late winner from Lucas Bergvall.

Liverpool, who are aiming to defend their league Cup crown after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final last year, are six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand after beating Bournemouth 2-0 on the weekend and topped the Champions League group phase. They are also into the FA Cup fourth round, meaning they are still fighting on all four fronts. They will not have Trent Alexander-Arnold available tonight after he went off injured in the second half of Liverpool’s win at Bournemouth.

“He [Alexander-Arnold] is going to miss the [Tottenham] game,” said Arne Slot. “We have to see whether he is able to play on Sunday but what we do know is that he is not available for tomorrow. He left the pitch with a bit of pain in his leg but he is already on the [training] pitch, not with the team but with the rehab coach, so let’s see how long it is going to take.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold walks off injured during Liverpool's win at Bournemouth last weekend
No Trent Alexander-Arnold tonight for Liverpool - Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Tottenham, whose last trophy came 17 years ago, come into tonight’s match off the back of a 2-0 away win at Brentford in the league on Sunday. Postecoglou has confirmed that centre-back Micky van de Ven will not be available tonight. The Dutch defender made his return from a hamstring injury against Elfsborg a week ago but missed the win at Brentford. Cristian Romero will also miss out as will Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and Guglielmo Vicario. They might though hand debuts to new signings Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, who signed in the final few days of the transfer window. Postecoglou was asked about Tel possible performing having initially reportedly turning down a move to Tottenham.

“I think people need to understand that you are talking about a 19-year-old who has to make a major decision for his career and it is not that he rejected us or rejected anyone else. I think he just wanted to be comfortable with his decision. I do not think he wanted to be pushed in a certain direction and it is credit to him. I had a conversation with him and it was purely around the football and I think he will find a really good place for him here.”

Team news to follow shortly.