Liverpool showcased a commanding performance at Anfield, overturning a first-leg deficit to crush Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 on aggregate.
This victory secured their place in the Carabao Cup final. Cody Gakpo, continuing his stellar form in the competition, opened the scoring early, setting the tone for a dominant night.
The holders now return to Wembley with hopes of retaining their title.
The Dutch forward has emerged as a talisman in this tournament, netting his fifth goal in as many League Cup appearances this season.
His overall tally of nine goals in the competition remains unmatched within Liverpool’s current squad.
However, Mohamed Salah stole the spotlight with a decisive penalty, marking his 26th goal of the campaign.
Further strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk compounded Tottenham’s misery, propelling Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot into a cup final in his debut season.
Slot follows in the footsteps of his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, who also reached the League Cup final in his first season.
However, Klopp’s side fell short against Manchester City.
This time, Liverpool will face Newcastle United, who are eager to end a 70-year domestic trophy drought after losing two of the last three Carabao Cup finals.
Tottenham’s Defensive Gamble Backfires
Tottenham entered the second leg with a slender one-goal advantage but adopted a defensive approach that proved disastrous.
Under pressure due to poor Premier League form, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou opted to sit deep and absorb pressure.
However, this strategy backfired spectacularly as Liverpool dominated possession and relentlessly attacked Tottenham’s fragile defense.
Playing at a venue where they haven’t kept a clean sheet in 13 years, Spurs looked disjointed and overwhelmed.
New signing Kevin Danso, on loan from Lens, faced a baptism of fire as he struggled to cope with Liverpool’s recalled striker Darwin Núñez.
Goalkeeper Anton Kinsky, who had impressed in the first leg, appeared shaky under crosses despite making a few decent saves.
Adding to Tottenham’s woes was Richarlison’s ill-advised attempt to provoke Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
The Brazilian forward’s antics only served to distract him, and his night ended prematurely with an injury just before halftim
Gakpo Sparks Liverpool Comeback
By the time Richarlison limped off, Liverpool had already leveled the aggregate score. Anfield roared into life as Salah and Gakpo tested Kinsky with early efforts.
Szoboszlai thought he had scored with an angled shot, only for the offside flag to intervene. Moments later, Liverpool struck decisively.
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Curtis Jones lost possession in Tottenham’s half, but Szoboszlai immediately pressured Yves Bissouma into surrendering the ball.
Salah, with a sublime outside-of-the-foot cross, found Gakpo, who smashed home a half-volley for his 16th goal of the season—matching his tally from last year.
Salah’s Spot-Kick Seals the Lead
Early in the second half, Liverpool’s relentless pressure paid off again. Szoboszlai’s glancing header was clawed out by Kinsky, but the Czech goalkeeper soon found himself at fault when he brought down Núñez for a penalty.
Djed Spence had lost possession near his own box, allowing Salah to release Núñez, who was fouled in the process.
Salah stepped up and buried the spot-kick into the top-left corner with unerring precision, leaving Kinsky no chance.
The goal gave Liverpool a 2-0 lead on the night and swung all momentum firmly in their favor.
Spurs Collapse Under Pressure
With their aggregate lead gone, Spurs were forced to chase the game—a task for which they seemed ill-prepared.
Their attempts to push forward left them exposed at the back, and Liverpool ruthlessly exploited these gaps.
Núñez came close to adding another but hit the side-netting after excellent work by Conor Bradley.
Ryan Gravenberch then struck the post as Liverpool continued to pile on the pressure.
Szoboszlai finally added a third goal after more fine play from Bradley, slotting past Kinsky to effectively end any hopes of a Spurs comeback.
Tottenham’s frustrations were epitomized when Son Heung-min rattled the crossbar late on—the closest they came to scoring all evening.
Van Dijk capped off Liverpool’s dominant display by heading home a corner for their fourth goal, sealing an emphatic victory and sending Anfield into wild celebrations.
Wembley Awaits
For Tottenham, it was another painful reminder of their struggles in big moments.
The team failed to register a single shot on target during the match, highlighting their struggle against an inspired Liverpool side.
Liverpool now focuses on Newcastle United for next month’s final, eager to secure another trophy.
With momentum and a confident squad behind them, they will approach Wembley as strong favorites to lift the trophy.
For Arne Slot, this moment represents an opportunity to secure his legacy in Liverpool folklore by winning silverware in his debut season.
