Arsenal v Liverpool Live Commentary & Result, 20/01/2022, League Cup

Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.

Both sides are in Premier League action again on Sunday. Arsenal host Burnley at the Emirates Stadium, while Liverpool face Crystal Palace on the road.

Liverpool are through to the EFL Cup final courtesy of a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their semi-final clash. Two clinical finishes from Diogo Jota proved to be the difference between the two sides, allowing the Reds to advance to the final for the first time since 2016 and a record 13th time overall. The Gunners struggled in the final third outside of one effort from Alexandre Lacazette that struck the bar, while their evening ended on a low note when Thomas Partey was dismissed for two bookable offences.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 0-2 LIVERPOOL (0-2 agg)

90' + 3' Robertson wins the ball in the Arsenal half and has space to fire at goal. He opts for the offload towards Williams instead, but Tierney makes the interception on the slide.

T. Minamino

Yellow Card

90' + 1' Minamino is a fraction late on Tierney with a challenge and goes into the book.

90' There will be five minutes of added time.

90' OFF! Partey is dismissed just 15 minutes after entering the action. He lunges in on Fabinho and catches the Brazilian on the boot with his studs. The referee does not hesitate in sending the midfielder on his way with a second yellow card then a red.

89' Jones releases Robertson in the left-inside channel, but he sends his low drive straight into the arms of Ramsdale.

T. Partey

Yellow Card

87' Partey brings down Williams on the charge and goes into the book. It was a needless trip from the Arsenal man.

85' Despite only playing two games at the Emirates Stadium for Liverpool, Jota is already the Reds' leading scorer at the stadium with four goals.

N. Williams

Roberto Firmino

84' Williams replaces Firmino for the closing stages to shore up the Liverpool defence.

83' WIDE! Jones goes for a blast from 25 yards for the visitors, but his effort whistles wide of the left post.

C. Jones

Yellow Card

82' Jones loses possession on the edge of the Arsenal box before he pulls back Odegaard. The referee puts the midfielder in the book.

80' OVER! Martinelli latches on to a cutback from Saka and goes for a strike at goal, only to lift his effort well over the top.

T. Alexander-Arnold

Assist

77' Alexander-Arnold notches a second assist in the contest as he floats a ball over the top for Jota that the Portuguese takes in stride before guiding it over Ramsdale.

Diogo Jota

Goal

77' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! JOTA'S STRIKE IS AWARDED BY VAR!!!!!! 2-0 LIVERPOOL!!!!!!! Jota times his run to perfection from a ball over the top from Alexander-Arnold and takes a touch away from White before lifting an effort over Ramsdale into the back of the net. It is a sublime piece of control and composure from the Portuguese to surely put the Reds on course for a place in the final.

77' VAR! Jota puts the ball into the back of the net, but the flag goes up for offside. However, VAR will have a second look at the incident.

76' CLOSE! Robertson latches on to a deflected cross from Milner in the left-inside channel and fires a half-volley at goal. However, the Scot sees his strike flash just wide of the right post.

J. Milner

J. Henderson

75' Henderson makes way for the Reds for the final 15 minutes and is replaced by Milner.

T. Partey

E. Smith Rowe

74' Partey only arrived in England today following his exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations. Arteta throws him straight into the action to replace Smith Rowe.

E. Nketiah

A. Lacazette

74' Nketiah replaces Lacazette for the home side as the Frenchman faded in the second half.

72' OVER! Martinelli probes down the left flank and opens up space for a strike at goal on his left foot that Kelleher has to turn over the bar.

69' BLOCK! Alexander-Arnold is played into acres of space down the right flank. He delivers a dangerous cross that is cleared by Tomiyasu, but only as far as Minamino. The forward steers a strike towards goal, but White makes the block in the six-yard area.

68' Smith Rowe almost finds space through the middle of the Liverpool defence, but his effort is blocked by the legs of Robertson.

65' Firmino tries to thread the needle from the left-inside channel with a pass towards Minamino, but the ball deflects off the legs of White and into the hands of Ramsdale.

T. Minamino

K. Gordon

63' Minamino enters the action for the visitors to replace Gordon in the final third. Gordon could have put the Reds in complete command earlier in the second half.

I. Konaté

Yellow Card

63' Konate brings down Lacazette and goes into the book for his challenge.

62' Alexander-Arnold surges down the right flank and whips a dangerous low cross into the Arsenal box. Gordon tries to connect on the slide, but it just evades the forward before White clears.

61' OVER! Smith Rowe latches on to a failed clearance from Kelleher following a corner on the left flank. The midfielder tries to take the striker first-time on the half-volley, but he lifts his effort over the bar.

59' OFF THE POST! Konate comes within inches of adding a second for the Reds. The defender rises highest from Alexander-Arnold's corner from the right flank. His header travels away from Ramsdale and strikes the inside of the right post. Henderson fires the rebound at goal, but is denied by the Arsenal keeper. The flag then goes up anyway aganst the Liverpool skipper.

58' Fabinho makes another surge forward into the final third, but he sees his low drive repelled by the Arsenal defence.

T. Tomiyasu

Yellow Card

56' Tomiyasu loses possession and then pulls back Jones as he breaks away from him. The full-back goes into the book.

55' Alexander-Arnold releases Fabinho in the final third and he scoops an offload towards Jones, but he cannot unleash an effort amid pressure from Tomiyasu.

53' Martinelli competes for a long ball over the top from Ramsdale that travels through to Kelleher. The forward knocks it out of the hands of the Liverpool keeper, but unfairly in the eyes of the referee.

51' GORDON HAS TO SCORE!! The Reds should double their advantage, only for the teenager to blaze his attempt over the bar. Jota leaves White in his wake down the left flank and steers a low ball across the face of goal. Gordon pounces, but he loses his composure snatching at his strike and lifting it over.

49' CHANCE! Lokonga sends Lacazette behind the Liverpool defence with a sublime ball over the top, but the forward can only lift his right-footed strike over the bar amid pressure from Van Dijk.

48' Arsenal make a bright start to the second half, but Odegaard and Saka narrowly overhit throughballs in the final third that land in the grasp of Kelleher.

46' We're back under way at the Emirates Stadium.

I. Konaté

J. Matip

46' Matip is withdrawn at the break by the Reds and is replaced at the back by Konate.

Jurgen Klopp will be thrilled with the control that his side have had over the game since the 10th minutes. They were put on the back foot in the early stages, but once Jota put them ahead they dominated and were not threatened by the hosts. He will be hopeful for a similar effort in the second half.

Diogo Jota's strike has handed Liverpool a 1-0 lead over Arsenal at the break in their EFL Cup semi-final second leg clash. The Portuguese surged through the Gunners' defence before slottng his strike past Aaron Ramsdale to put the visitors in front. Earlier, Alexandre Lacazette had struck the bar for the hosts, but once Jota fired the Reds into the lead the Gunners were knocked out of their rhythm. A crucial 45 minutes awaits.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 0-1 LIVERPOOL

45' + 1' BLOCK! Liverpool win a free-kick on the left flank that Robertson swings into the box. Van Dijk nudges to Fabinho to strike, but his effort is charged down by Lokonga.

45' There will be one minute of added time.

A. Lacazette

Yellow Card

44' Lacazette catches Jones with a late challenge and goes into the book.

42' Liverpool are set in their shape at the back and seem comfortable against the threat of the home side. Arteta's men need a spark to break open the Reds' defence.

40' Odegaard collects in the Liverpool half and tries to arc a cross to the back post for Martinelli. Alexander-Arnold reads the danger for the visitors and heads clear.

38' There's no way through for Arsenal at the moment. Liverpool have been on their mettle at the back since the early threat from the home side.

36' Odegaard catches Jota with a late boot and gives away a free-kick in the middle of the field. The Norway international manages to avoid a booking.

35' Jota collects on the left flank and digs out a dangerous cross into the middle, but Gabriel defends well in the six-yard area to clear with a solid header.

34' Jota has scored four goals in his last four games against Arsenal across all competitions, with three of those coming in his two appearances at the Emirates Stadium as a Liverpool player.

32' BLOCK! Matip loses out to Smith Rowe and it allows Odegaard to break and feed Saka into space on the right flank. He tries to fire at goal on his right foot, but Robertson is well placed to make the block.

29' Liverpool build down the left flank as Robertson sends Jota down the left flank, but his cutback to the edge of the box evades Firmino.

28' Fabinho times his challenge to perfection at the back to prevent Martinelli firing at goal from the inside-left channel after the forward got the better of Van Dijk.

26' Jones makes meaningful penetration on a surge into the Arsenal half. He gets held in check on the edge of the box, but the Reds are able to retain possession to threaten the home side.

23' Arsenal have lost their composure since the Reds' opener. Arteta needs to get his side to settle back into the contest.

21' Liverpool are unbeaten in 32 matches in a run dating back to February 2021 after scoring the first goal, 27 wins and five draws.

T. Alexander-Arnold

Assist

19' Alexander-Arnold releases the run of Jota in the final third and the forward does the rest with a fine run and finish.

Diogo Jota

Goal

19' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! JOTA FINDS THE BACK OF THE NET!!!! 1-0 LIVERPOOL!!!! The Portuguese surges at the Arsenal defence, and although he miscues his strike, it has enough power to beat Ramsdale. Jota collects a short pass from Alexander-Arnold and he beats the challenge of Tomiyasu with a neat turn. He bursts to the edge of the box and hits a tame effort past Ramsdale, who may have been unsighted by his defenders.

17' The tempo of Arsenal's approach has been stymied as the Reds are attempting to get their foot on the ball.

15' The home side have dominated possession, but the Reds have proven that they can be clinical in front of goal. We'll see if the scare forces Arsenal to back off slightly.

13' DISALLOWED GOAL! Fabinho rises to connect with a corner from Robertson on the left flank, powering a header towards goal. Matip steers a strike home from close range, but the offside flag goes up immediately.

10' Arsenal have enjoyed a bright start to the game and Arteta will be thrilled to see Liverpool well and truly on the back foot.

8' Odegaard threads the needle to release Smith Rowe and he in turn plays Martinelli down the left flank. He loops a cross towards the middle with the aid of a deflection, but Kelleher is fouled by Saka as he tries to gather the cross.

6' OFF THE BAR! Lacazette curls his effort over the top of the Liverpool wall and towards the top-right corner. Kelleher stretches and just gets a fingertip on the effort to glance it onto the bar before the Reds clear the danger.

5' Robertson brings down Saka on the edge of the Liverpool box and the referee awards a free-kick to the Gunners in a dangerous position.

4' Liverpool fail to clear their lines from Saka's corner, but eventually Matip blasts the ball off the legs of Lacazette and it falls into the hands of Kelleher.

3' Martinelli takes a neat touch around two Liverpool defenders down the left. He tries to arc a strike towards goal, but his effort is deflected wide of the right post.

1' We're under way at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have won just one of their last 17 matches against Liverpool in all competitions (D8 L8) and have failed to score in their last four against the Reds, having only failed to score in four of their previous 50 games against them.

Liverpool have also made three changes to their side from the first leg. Kelleher ousts Alisson between the sticks as Klopp makes a bold choice in a vital game to rest the Brazilian. Jones replaces Milner in the middle of the park, while teenage forward Gordon comes into the side for Minamino in the final third.

Arsenal have made three changes to their side that drew with Liverpool in the first leg. Xhaka is suspended and is replaced in the middle of the park by Odegaard in an advanced role. Smith Rowe slots into the side in place of Nketiah just in behind Lacazette as the lone central striker. Tomiyasu comes into the team in the back four to replace Cedric Soares, who misses out tonight due to injury.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Alisson, Ibrahima Konate, James Milner, Joe Gomez, Adrian, Takumi Minamino, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Neco Williams, Tyler Morton.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Caoimhin Kelleher; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Curtis Jones; Kaide Gordon, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota.

ARSENAL SUBS: Thomas Partey, Rob Holding, Nuno Taveres, Eddie Nketiah, Ryan Alebiousu, Karl Hein, Mika Biereth, Salah-Edine Oulad M'hand, Charlie Patino.

ARSENAL (4-1-4-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Albert Sambi Lokonga; Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Alexandre Lacazette.

Liverpool will feel that they missed out on a golden opportunity to snatch the advantage heading into the second leg. Jurgen Klopp's men failed to punish Xhaka following his early dismissal and now have work ahead of them to book their place in the final. The Reds were back to form at the weekened with a comfortable win over Brentford, proving that they could find the back of the net without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. However, they will need to raise the standard of their performance to secure a final berth for the first time since 2016.

The two sides played out a goalless draw in the first leg of the contest as the Gunners battled with 10 men after Granit Xhaka was sent off. Mikel Arteta now have the chance to progress to the final to take on Chelsea by beating Liverpool on home soil. Arsenal are winless in 2022, suffering defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Nottingham Forest along with the draw against the Reds. Arteta will be keen to get off the mark by advancing to the final for the first time since 2018.

Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the EFL Cup semi-final second-leg clash between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal v Liverpool Live Commentary, 20/01/2022

Key Events

Match Stats

Commentary