Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool: FLW reports as Diogo Jota double seals Wembley spot for Reds | OneFootball

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Football League World

·20 January 2022

Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool: FLW reports as Diogo Jota double seals Wembley spot for Reds

Article image:Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool: FLW reports as Diogo Jota double seals Wembley spot for Reds

A Diogo Jota double sent Liverpool through to the EFL Cup final in February at the expense of Arsenal on Thursday, with the Reds winning 2-0 on the night and by the same scoreline on aggregate.

Things were finely poised heading into the game at the Emirates after a 0-0 draw in the first leg at Anfield last week, and it was the Gunners who had the first big chance.


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In a bright opening ten minutes for the hosts, Alexandre Lacazette clanged the cross bar with a free kick in what could have been considered a warning fired at Liverpool.

The Reds, decked in yellow tonight, soon wrestled control of the game though and it was Jota who proved the standout star.

His first goal came from a delightful flick by Roberto Firmino, with the Portuguese then able to drive in towards the box from the left and aim a right footed shot – a tame one it must be said – through the onrushing Arsenal defence and on to wrong foot Aaron Ramsdale in the Gunners’ net.

In truth, it was a first half of few clear cut chances, with both sides obviously well aware of what was at stake.

The second half began as the first one had, with Lacazette having a great opportunity to score.

This time, though, the Frenchman could only blaze over with the goal at his mercy, summing up an ultimately frustrating night in front of goal for the home side.

Indeed, the Gunners lacked that clinical edge you need to win big games like this and, fortunately for the away side, Diogo Jota demonstrated exactly that with under 15 minutes from time.

Meeting a lovely cross-field ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold, the no. 20 brought the ball down with his chest and then dinked the ball over Ramsdale who did his best to try and force the forward into a panic as he closed him down.

Initially ruled out for offside, VAR intervened and sent the away end at the Emirates into raptures, as well as sending Liverpool to Wembley.

This, then, was a demonstration of where these sides are right now. Arsenal were kept at arm’s length by a Liverpool side without Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and, suitably, it was one of the remaining attackers in their ranks who did the job in north London, whilst a late red card for second half sub Thomas Partey rather compounded the Gunners’ misery.

Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool.

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