Liverpool overcame a first-leg deficit to secure a spot in the League Cup final, defeating Tottenham 4-0 yesterday. This increased the pressure on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.
Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk scored for the Reds. They will meet Newcastle at Wembley on March 16, competing for the season’s first English silverware.
They hold a commanding six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have effortlessly advanced to the Champions League last 16, and are set to face Championship underdogs Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round this Sunday.
Tottenham’s last trophy win was in 2008, and their drought continues. Postecoglou now has one less chance to fulfill his promise of winning a trophy in his second season.
Rumors suggest the Australian manager might be dismissed if another match doesn’t go well this weekend. Spurs currently sit 14th in the Premier League and face Aston Villa away in the FA Cup.
“We have given up a good opportunity tonight, and we cannot shy away from that,” said Postecoglou. “They were by far better team. They were too good for us.”
Although there were more prestigious titles to pursue, Slot aimed to secure the League Cup as his first trophy as Liverpool manager by fielding his strongest available team, he maintained the customary rotation in goal for cup matches, with Caoimhin Kelleher stepping in for Alisson Becker.
New recruit Kevin Danso swiftly joined Tottenham’s injury-plagued defense, and Mathys Tel came off the bench early following Richarlison’s injury.
Liverpool had scored four in 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.
