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LIVERPOOL OVERTURNED A first-leg deficit to reach the League Cup final with a 4-0 win on Thursday and ramp up the pressure on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.
Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk were on target for the Reds, who will face Newcastle at Wembley on 16 March for the first silverware of the English season.
Liverpool remain on course for a quadruple in a dream debut season for Arne Slot.
They enjoy a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League and visit Championship strugglers Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
Spurs’ trophy drought on the other hand goes on. Tottenham last lifted silverware in 2008 and Postecoglou now has one less opportunity to fulfil his promise of winning a trophy in his second season.
There is speculation the Australian could be shown the door if another goes awry away to Aston Villa in the FA Cup at the weekend with Spurs languishing 14th in the Premier League.
Despite having more glamorous titles to win, Slot showed his desire to make the League Cup his first trophy as Liverpool boss by naming his strongest available team bar the usual rotation in goal for cup competitions as Caoimhin Kelleher replaced Alisson Becker.
New signing Kevin Danso was forced straight into Tottenham’s injury-ravaged defence, while Mathys Tel also made an early debut off the bench after Richarlison hobbled off injured.
Liverpool had scored four in each of the previous two meetings between the sides at Anfield and repeated that feat to make light of their 1-0 first-leg defeat in north London last month.
The home side had taken the first quarter to find their stride but the pressure built after Szoboszlai ran offside before sweeping home Salah’s pass.
From the Egyptian’s next delivery into the box, Spurs did not escape as Gakpo drilled in first time to move clear as the top scorer in this season’s competition with five goals.
Antonin Kinsky kept Salah waiting for his goal with a fine save moments later, but at the other end of the field, Richarlison lay prone to leave Postecoglou’s team further depleted.
Already without record signing Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert in attacking areas, Tottenham never looked capable of mounting the threat they needed to survive the Liverpool onslaught.
The decisive blow came five minutes into the second half when Kinsky rushed off his line but was beaten to the ball by Darwin Nunez and caught the Uruguayan.
Salah ruthlessly dispatched the resulting penalty into the top corner for his 26th goal of the season.
Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch fired off the post as Liverpool put their foot down to kill the tie off.
The killer third goal came 15 minutes from time when Connor Bradley, who excelled in the absence of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, played in Szoboszlai to slot home.
Van Dijk then exposed Spurs’ struggles defending set-pieces by heading in the fourth from a corner to rub salt in the visitors’ wounds.
Newcastle are eying an end to their 56-year wait for a major trophy after an impressive 4-0 humbling of Arsenal on aggregate in the other semi-final.
But the Magpies have the unenviable task of stopping Slot’s juggernaut if they are to do so.
Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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Awful sad news . The Ryan’s are an excellent hurling family in Clara. People will remember this man’s son Lester receiving the McCarthy cup and giving an excellent speech, all in Irish language, only a few months ago. At dheis De go raibh a ainm.
Tragic, these stories are too common. RIP.
Rest in peace….condolences to his family.
Very sad, may he rest in peace.
Can’t understand the red thumbs on some of these comments! RIP
I think it might be how people interpret comments. For example, is it really appropriate to green thumb a comment saying “An awful tragedy”? If anything, we shouldn’t be allowed to comment on these sort of stories.
You get pr#%ks who like to go against people views no matter the circumstances… R.I.P.
Rip. Condolences to the ryan family. Dreadful tragedy
RIP
So, so sorry to hear about this today. My condolences to Lester and all the Ryan family.
Terrible stuff. Should always be 2 people working together in that type of situation. I realise it’s not always possible to hire people if they can’t afford it. #RIP
When do farmers ever have two driving a tractor?
Don’t be silly Maggie. On most farms (that can afford it) there’s always 2 people together, especially around dangerous equipment. I think it might even be law.
It’s not the time for a debate but you’re wrong on this one Fergal. Slurry spreading is usually a one man per tractor job. If you’ve your own equipment to do the job you’d usually just do it on your own. RIP to the man.
RIP, Dreadfully for the family to lose a loved one in such circumstances. Safety in industrial operations has improved over the years but safety on farming has not kept pace. There is an urgent need for compulsory education around safety on the farm.
RIP to the man and I hope his family find peace.
Shockin
Red thumbs people with fuc* all else to do only thrive on other people’s misery…would piss u off..
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