Liverpool secure spot in Carabao Cup semi-finals with Southampton scalp
What's the story
Liverpool have successfully progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, after defeating Southampton 2-1 at St. Mary's. This is the third time in four seasons that the Reds have reached this stage of the tournament. The team's success was propelled by goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, under the tutelage of coach Arne Slot.
Game strategy
Southampton's defensive strategy initially keeps Liverpool at bay
Meanwhile, Southampton, who are without a permanent manager after Russell Martin's sacking, played defensively against Liverpool. Interim head coach Simon Rusk set up a 5-4-1 formation out of possession. The plan worked initially, keeping the Reds at bay for over 20 minutes into the match.
Scoring spree
Nunez and Elliott score, giving Liverpool a 2-0 lead
Liverpool finally breached Southampton's defense with their first shot on target. Trent Alexander-Arnold passed a ball that deflected off Jan Bednarek's leg, giving Darwin Nunez a one-on-one with Alex McCarthy to score. Eight minutes later, Elliott added another after Cody Gakpo set him up for an easy finish.
Match climax
Southampton fight back but falls short of forcing penalties
Southampton did manage to score when Cameron Archer skillfully curled past Caoimhin Kelleher. However, despite further attempts and substitutions by Rusk, including Paul Onuachu, Adam Lallana, Ben Brereton Diaz, and Kamaldeen Sulemana, Southampton failed to force penalties. The match ended with Liverpool's victory and their advancement in the Carabao Cup.
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Here are the match stats
Liverpool managed 14 attempts to Southampton's six. However, both sides had four shots on target each. The Refds had 69% ball possession and 17 touches in the opposition box.
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37 goals in Liverpool colors for Nunez
In 117 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, Nunez has raced to 37 goals including four this season.