Liverpool v Arsenal Live Commentary & Result, 13/01/2022, League Cup

That's all for today, goodbye!

The tie is finely poised for the second leg, with Liverpool travelling to the Emirates for that game next Thursday. Both sides are back in Premier League action before that though, with the Reds hosting Brentford, and Arsenal facing Tottenham in the North London derby.

10-man Arsenal hold Liverpool to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their semi-final. Xhaka was sent off in the 24th minute for a high boot on Jota which denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Arsenal held out though and actually had the only shot on target when Alisson smothered Saka's close-range effort. Liverpool almost snatched it late on, but Minamino fired over an empty net before Williams' volley was blocked by White.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 0-0 ARSENAL.

90' + 3' It's a poor corner from Robertson, but it's cleared back out to him on the left. He lays it off to Henderson, who curls a deep cross towards Van Dijk. He beats Ramsdale to it and Williams volleys a shot across goal, but White blocks it.

90' + 1' Into the first of five added minutes here, and there are big shouts from the home fans and players for a penalty as Jones goes down. Martinelli came in with the challenge, but there wasn't a lot in that and the referee waves the claims away.

90' WHAT A CHANCE! Ramsdale rushes off his line to try and clear Williams' cross, but there's a mix-up with his defenders, and it falls to Minamino. He has an open goal to aim for but blazes his shot high over the bar.

89' It's another good cross into the box from Williams on the right and White's touch almost plays Arsenal into trouble. It bounces up against Firmino's arm though and Ramsdale collects.

87' Williams' cross is blocked and the ball pinballs around inside the box. Minamino holds off Gabriel long enough to touch it to Henderson, but his throughball into Firmino is blocked by Holding.

85' Jones clips a brilliant cross into the box and Gabriel misjudges it. Jota is behind him but wasn't expecting it, and it bounces off his head. Firmino tries to latch onto the loose ball, but Ramsdale is quickly off his line to collect it.

83' Jones links up nicely with Robertson down the left before pulling it back for Oxlade-Chamberlain. It bounces just in front of him, so he hits it on the half-volley, but it sails over the crossbar.

Nuno Tavares

B. Saka

81' Saka tried to carry on, but after going down again, he's going to be taken off. Tavares is on to replace him.

79' Jones cuts inside after another spell of patient possession for Liverpool before he pulls it back for Henderson. He hits the shot first time, but it sails high over the bar, much to the captain's frustration.

77' Saka is currently down for Arsenal, but it's not clear what the problem is. He was starting to look tired in the last few minutes, and Arteta is waiting to see if he can carry on before making a change.

J. Gomez

J. Matip

76' Matip is also being taken off, with Gomez on to replace him.

N. Williams

T. Alexander-Arnold

75' And Alexander-Arnold is the last to make way, with Williams on in his place.

A. Oxlade-Chamberlain

Fabinho

75' Triple change for Liverpool now, and it's Fabinho that's going off first, with Oxlade-Chamberlain on for him.

74' It's worked from left to right by Liverpool again, with Alexander-Arnold squaring it to Jota. He doesn't have any options in the box, so touches it back out to the right-back, but he'd just strayed offside.

Gabriel Magalhães

Yellow Card

72' Liverpool break on the counter and Gabriel blocks Jota's run through the middle. He's protesting his innocence, but is still shown a yellow card.

72' SAVE! It's Arsenal with the first shot on target in the game! The ball bounces off Martinelli, but Tierney picks it up on the left and swings a good cross into the box. Saka brings it down with a good first touch before poking it towards goal, but Alisson blocks it.

71' There are big shouts for handball from the Arsenal fans after a mix-up in the box for Liverpool. It pinballed around before Van Dijk hooked it clear, but the referee doesn't see anything in that.

69' The home fans are urging their team to attack, but they're still struggling to find a way through. Jones pulls it back for Henderson, who tees up Minamino instead of going for goal. He takes it on the volley, but can't direct it on target.

67' CLOSE! Arsenal committed a lot of bodies forward in attack and Jones breaks into the space left behind. He threads it down the left of the box for Minamino and he takes on the shot from a tight angle, but it's just wide of the far post.

65' The frustration is starting to show for Liverpool now after Martinelli goes down under a challenge from Jones. Henderson thinks it's a soft free-kick, but it's a bit of respite for Arsenal.

63' Still waiting on the first shot on target from either side in this game as Liverpool push forward again. Alexander-Arnold plays it forward for Henderson, but Tierney slides in to stop it from reaching him.

C. Jones

J. Milner

61' Liverpool are making their first change now and it's Milner that's going off for Jones.

59' Liverpool are still dominating possession here, but they can't find a way through Arsenal. The visitors are staying compact and making life difficult for the Liverpool players.

A. Robertson

Yellow Card

57' Saka is causing Robertson all sorts of problems and the left-back tries to tug him back. The free-kick is given, and he has his name taken by the referee.

56' Firmino plays a one-two with Minamino to try and open up a pocket of space in the box, but it doesn't work. So he touches it out to Henderson, but his cross is just too high for Jota at the far post.

54' Robertson seels Alexander-Arnold short and Tierney pounces onto the loose ball. It's switched out to the right for Arsenal again, but it's a poor cross from Saka that bounces harmlessly out near the far post.

52' Liverpool are struggling to keep hold of the ball when they push further upfield here. Milner makes a good run down the right but hits his cross straight against Chambers, and Arsenal get it away.

50' Saka's shot is blocked by Matip, but Robertson's clearance goes straight to Lokonga. He switches it out to Tierney on the left, but instead of whipping it into the box, he touches it to Lacazette, only for Fabinho to nick it back.

48' CLOSE! A pass into Chambers is overhit and Minamino latches onto it before breaking on the counter. He drives down the left before whipping a cross into the box. It looks like it's creeping into the far corner and Ramsdale flaps at it, but it's just wide.

46' Liverpool get us back underway for the second half!

Arsenal stayed compact after going down to 10-man and they limited Liverpool to very few chances. They've still got a long way to go though, and Arteta will be figuring out how to keep his side in this. Liverpool had a few bright moments without testing Ramsdale, and Klopp will be expecting much better after the break.

It's goalless between Liverpool and 10-man Arsenal at half-time. It's been a game of very few chances so far, with neither side managing a shot on target in the first half. Xhaka was sent off 24 minutes in after catching Jota in the chest with a high boot to deny a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The best chance looked like it would fall to Henderson early on after he closed down Ramsdale's clearance, but he couldn't get in on goal.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 0-0 ARSENAL.

45' + 2' Arsenal's high press pays off again and Lacazette holds off Fabinho before threading the ball through to Saka. Alisson rushes off his line to collect it, but the referee pulls it back for an Arsenal free-kick. Nothing comes of it though.

45' Milner loses the ball to Chambers inside his own box and the defender dances away from a challenge before touching it to Lacazette. He can't open up space for a shot, so he pokes it back towards Chambers, but it goes out for a goal-kick.

43' Saka wins a free-kick down the right and he curls a wonderful free-kick into the middle. Lacazette is closest to it, but it's just too high and he can't get a touch on it.

42' Saka does really well to stretch and keep the ball in play before driving down the right. He tries to curl a cross into Lacazette, but Matip sticks a leg out and slices it over his own crossbar.

40' Jota curls an early cross in from the right and Chambers' flick only goes as far as Robertson on the opposite flank. He swings it into the box, but Gabriel is equal to it.

38' Robertson plays a one-two with Robertson, and the left-back's cross takes a deflection off White on the way through. Firmino is in the middle, but Chambers makes a brilliant challenge to intercept it.

36' Arteta is trying to urge his players upfield, but Martinelli gives the ball away and Arsenal are on the back foot again. Minamino is driving through the middle, but he has no options up with him.

34' Liverpool patiently work it from left to right again as Arsenal continue to sit deep. Alexander-Arnold has so much space but it's a poor cross from him as it flies high into the stands.

32' Since his debut season with Arsenal in 2016-17, no Premier League player has been sent off more times in all competitions than Xhaka (five).

30' Liverpool are trying to use their man advantage as they keep Arsenal penned back deep in their half. Henderson goes long to Minamino down the right, but he's crowded off it by Gabriel and Tierney.

R. Holding

E. Nketiah

28' It looked like Arteta was readying a double change, but he's only making one for now. Nketiah is the player sacrificed after Xhaka's red card, with Holding on in his place to make it a back five.

26' CHANCE! Alexander-Arnold steps up to take the free-kick just outside the box but he curls it straight into the wall. He gets a second bite at it, but he whips this one just wide of the far post.

G. Xhaka

Red Card

24' XHAKA IS OFF! Robertson curls an early cross onto the edge of the box to try and pick out Jota's run and Xhaka is chasing him down. He's never going to get the ball, and he catches Jota with a high boot into the chest. He's denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and the referee shows him a straight red card. Arsenal are down to 10!

23' CHANCE! Liverpool were enjoying a good spell of possession until Milner gifts the ball to Lokonga. He sets Saka off on the counter down the right and he fizzes a dangerous cross into the box. Nketiah can't meet it though and Van Dijk clears his lines.

21' The last five EFL Cup meetings between Arsenal and Liverpool have produced a total of 28 goals, despite the fourth-round tie last season finishing 0-0.

19' Henderson turns straight into Lokonga, and his block bounces kindly for Lacazette. He spots Alisson off his line, so has a go from distance, but it always curling well wide of the near post.

18' Arsenal are starting to find their rhythm again now as Xhaka switches it out to Nketiah on the left. He cuts back before trying to curl it into Lacazette, but Van Dijk gets across to clear it.

16' Robertson whips another cross in from the left, but there's no one in the middle for Liverpool. Two Arsenal defenders miss it as it curls out to the right and Alexander-Arnold meets it, but his shot is blocked by Tierney.

14' Robertson thumps a cross against Jota, but the forward does well to keep hold of it and fizz a dangerous low ball into the box. White slides in to clear it ahead of Firmino, and his interception rolls just wide of the far post.

12' GREAT CHANCE! It's a hefty challenge from Gabriel on Milner and White plays it back to Ramsale from the halfway line. Ramsdale hits his clearance against Henderson, but he's forced to the byline, and he can only win a corner.

C. Chambers

Cédric Soares

11' Soares makes his way slowly off the field and Chambers comes on to replace him.

10' Soares picked up a knock in the opening moments here and he's down again. He hits the ground in frustration, and it looks like his game is coming to an early end.

9' It's patiently worked out from the back by Liverpool until Henderson hooks it upfield to Minamino. His first touch forces him wide and he can't take advantage of Ramsdale slipping as he comes off his line.

7' Minamino's poor touch evades White and bounces through to Henderson, and he lays it off to Robertson, who whips a dangerous cross into the box. Firmino throws himself forward, but can't get the touch he needs to put it past Ramsdale.

6' Alisson slices a clearance to Lacazette but gets lucky as Saka's heavy touch allows the keeper to win it straight back. He sets Liverpool straight on the attack, with Gabriel nicking it back, only to drill a long-range backpass just wide of the near post.

4' Lokonga is put under pressure by Fabinho and he gifts the ball to Firmino in his haste to get it away. He sweeps it out to Alexander-Arnold on the right, but Tierney is alert to block the cross.

2' Arsenal are putting the pressure straight on Liverpool here and Saka curls a great cross into the six-yard box. Alisson goes for it, but Nketiah jumps into him, causing the keeper to fumble it, and the hosts have a free-kick.

1' Lacazette gets the game underway for Arsenal!

The teams are out on the pitch, with kick-off just moments away!

Under Klopp, Liverpool have scored more goals against Arsenal in all competitions (43) than they have against any other opponent.

Mikel Arteta makes five changes from their defeat to Nottingham Forest. Ramsdale is in goal, Gabriel is back from suspension and Xhaka has recovered from Covid-19, with Tierney and Lacazette also coming in. Martin Odegaard is out after his own positive coronavirus test, while Holding, Leno, Tavares and Patino drop to the bench.

Jurgen Klopp makes eight changes to the side that beat Shrewsbury last time out, with only Robertson, Van Dijk and Fabinho retaining their places. Alisson and Alexander-Arnold are both back from isolation after recovering from coronavirus. Minamino, Firmino and Jota make up the front three today.

ARSENAL SUBS: Mika Bierith, Charlie Patino, Nuno Tavares, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari, Omari Hutchinson, Bernd Leno, Salah-Edine Oulad M'hand.

ARSENAL STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Cedric Soares, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Albert Sambi Lokonga, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli; Eddie Nketiah.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Caoimhin Kelleher, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tyler Morton, Neco Williams, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Kaide Gordon.

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner; Takumi Minamino, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota.

This was originally supposed to be the second-leg tie, but after a batch of what turned out to be false-positive Covid-19 results at Liverpool, last week's game had to be pushed back. The winner of this tie will face Chelsea, who beat Tottenham 3-0 on aggregate to reach the final. The hosts come into this match having won just one of their last five in all competitions (D3 L1), though that victory was in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury Town last time out. This is Arsenal's last chance for silverware this season after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest on Sunday. In their trip to Anfield in November, they lost 4-0 in the Premier League.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the EFL Cup semi-final first-leg between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield!

Liverpool v Arsenal Live Commentary, 13/01/2022

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