Our second visit to Anfield repeated two sequential matches at that recently inauspicious venue within 4 days that last took place in January 2007 when we played an FA Cup tie and a League Cup quarter final winning the former 3-1 and the latter 6-3 during an era when the relative relationship between the two clubs was quite different to today’s.

Off the back of our 1-3 reverse on Monday in a PL match in which our hard-working team were given a clear demonstration of the gap in class with the champions, we returned to Liverpool hoping for a better performance and a better result in this Carabao-sponsored League Cup 4^th round tie. As in 2007 and in our usual approach to the early rounds of this competition, the team for the second of our Anfield challenges saw significant alterations from the earlier game. In his fine preview, bt8 outlined our schizophrenic relationship with this competition which we have only won twice and not since 1993 when Tony Adams dropped our match-winner Steve Morrow fracturing his arm. We have, however, reached two finals in the interim but failed to shine in both.

As predicted, Mikel selected a mixture of youth and experience, sticking with his first-choice keeper, Bernd Leno but pulled a surprise with a back four of Cedric (first start of the season), Holding (perhaps to lay the ghosts of the Mane-induced trauma last Monday), Gabriel and Kolasinac (shudder, I thought he was on his way to Germany). However, it gave the option of playing a back three with Cedric and Saka as wing backs. Or indeed both, our Mikel does love in-match metamorphoses. This time, he elected to match up to Liverpool’s customary midfield three with Willock, Ceballos, Xhaka and Saka. Pepe and Nketiah were hopefully going to offer a dynamic duo up front. The big question pre-match was where Saka, on the day he received his first international call-up, was going to play – wing back, midfield or wide left attacker – or all three?

Klopp selected Salah, van Dijk, Jota and Milner along with fringe players. Nonetheless, both teams predominantly comprised the players who had played in the previous round. Could we repeat the high scoring performance we produced at Anfield at the same stage of this competition last season?

Xhaka’s complete redemption was confirmed as he led the team out as captain. The Arsenal started with four at the back with Kolasinac at left back facing Salah (horrors!), Saka on the left of midfield, Willock on the right of midfield, both driving forward when in possession and Pepe to the left of Nketiah up front. 4-4-2! Liverpool lined up in their usual 4-3-3.

Early knockings saw much energy from both sides but little in the way of constructive passages of play until the seventh minute when we should have scored! Pepe penetrating Liverpool’s high line cut the ball back to Willock who touched it on to Nketiah on the right of the Liverpool 6-yard box. Sadly, his first touch was poor allowing the diving keeper to push the ball away and the chance was gone. Nketiah should just have hit the damn thing! A minute later Saka and Willock created an overlap in the box for Cedric but his touch back to Willock was poor and was cut out.

After that early Arsenal flurry, Liverpool then had a brace of corners that led to a free run into the box for Jota. Jota’s cut back reached a Scouser who fired the ball wide of Leno’s right-hand post. Jota then floored Ceballos with a push to the back of his head (no card) then Pepe was brought down as he broke through by Minamino who was carded.  From the free-kick Holding bundled the ball into the opposition net but the ref had already blown for a push. A multiplayer Liverpool drive on the right was nicely snuffed out by Gabriel, Kolasinac and Xhaka.

As the first quarter ended, Saka, Willock and our forwards were doing a great job harrying the Liverpool back-line. Saka and Willock were prominent in driving at the opposition defence. The former in particular was forcing Liverpool defenders to resort to fouls, not always registered by Kevin Friend – never a friend of ours. We looked compact when Liverpool had possession with everyone behind the ball, pressing the ball carrier and closing down options and channels. The Arsenal were generally playing out of Liverpool’s high press well, releasing runners on the break and were clearly the better side at this stage looking much more dangerous. Yet there is always scope for individual error. Just after Carragher had praised The Arsenal passing out from the back, in the 33^rd minute as we passed our way forward on our left Liverpool’s press caused Xhaka to loft a ball towards Kolasinac who headed the ball straight to Jota inside our box. Fortunately Holding swiftly got a foot in to dispossess him.

As the half came towards its last five minutes, Liverpool had been the more dominant and pushed us back for five minutes but a sweet ball from Ceballos from just inside our half, found Saka running through. Sadly, he was just offside. One hoped that sooner or later one of those through balls to runners would come off.  49% of our attacks were on our left and 33% on our right.

As the half drew to a close Ceballos brought Jota down outside the right edge of our box. Of course, Jota fell into the area and a posse of Scousers tried to confuse the ref with deviant geometry. Gabriel headed the free kick clear only for it to be lobbed back in by Williams. Jota headed the cross goal-wards from our right prompting a full-stretch save by Leno but much like his save on Monday that landed at Mane’s feet, the palmed ball went straight to Minamino running into the 6-yard box, unmarked, 4-yards out. Minamino’s side-footed effort rattled off our cross-bar. Lucky Arsenal, but you’re no Mane, son! In added-time another Liverpool corner was punched away by Leno but the ball returned from our left found Jota on the right of our box. His cross to the far post was headed past the far post by van Dijk and then the half-time whistle sounded.

The Arsenal had looked comfortable for most of the half and our pressing and runners had caused Liverpool problems but Nketiah had fluffed our only real chance with his poor first touch. Liverpool had had a flurry just before half-time when we had to rely on Lady Luck and we could have been made to regret not making and taking more chances with our forays forward. The stats showed we had only had 2 attempts with none on target to Liverpool’s 6 attempts and 2 on target. Nonetheless this was one of our better halfs at Anfield and it’s still all to play for!

HT: 0 – 0

Liverpool kicked off the second half without either coach making any substitutions. An early Liverpool free kick from our right saw Gruic head over. Impressive bursts of speed from Eddie twice forced Adrian to kick the ball into touch but our subsequent moves came to naught. Xhaka who had just been spoken to for a foul on Jota, then picked up a silly yellow for dragging Gruic back as he moved towards our half. Leno then made a superb reaction save low to his right to stop van Dijk scoring when he flicked on a knock down from a corner.

The first 10 minutes of the half saw Liverpool much more dominant. Our only effort was a tame Pepe shot from the edge of the box. A much more threatening Jota shot from our right was deflected past Leno’s left-hand post. Liverpool were now looked the more dangerous team. As the hour approached, Leno had to dive low to his left to stop a Gruic shot from the edge of our box sneaking inside his post.

On the hour, van Dijk and Salah were replaced by Gomez and Origi. Jota lost his markers to get on the end of a long ball which he struck firmly from the edge of the box only to see a Leno dive push it wide. From the corner, Leno had to stretch backwards to stop a Gruic header from looping under the bar. Paul Merson thought that was a ‘worldie’! Liverpool corners demonstrated their aerial superiority though Gabriel dealt well with anything coming his way.

As we reached the last quarter, Ceballos was replaced by Elneny. A beautiful high ball from Cedric on the right found Saka in the box but a Liverpool defender dived in to clear it. From a short corner  routine, Pepe crossed for Holding to head goal-wards from 6 yards but his fine effort was saved by Adrian. Once again Nketiah pressure caused the Liverpool keeper to kick for touch. Our friend Kevin then ignored a Liverpool hand ball which led to a Gruic shot, deflected for a throw. On 75 minutes, Wijnaldum replaced Jota. Pepe was then clipped by Wilson in the centre circle as he broke away and the Scouser was carded.  “One of those fouls that his manager will be pleased with!” said Carragher. Nketiah then headed wide from a Willock cross from the right.

On 80 minutes Saka developed cramp stretching to tackle a Liverpool player wide on our left. Lacazette then replaced Nketiah. A nice run by Pepe led to him shooting wide after a Saka cross was cleared. Liverpool then built a nice series of passes ending in a Williams shot straight at Leno. Saka went down again with cramp on 85 minutes and was replaced by Maitland-Niles.

Another Cedric long ball found Pepe who was called offside but the TV lateral view suggested the call was extremely marginal. An unfortunate bounce led to a Maitland-Niles handball halfway inside our half on our left. The cross from the free-kick was unnecessarily cleared for a corner by the same player. It felt like the fickle finger of fate was pointing but we dealt with the corner well.

In three added minutes, Willock ran onto a ball into the Liverpool box. Milner dived at his feet and touched the ball away with his hand. Our friend Kevin wasn’t interested and carded Cedric for his protest. Liverpool then surged forwards and a Milner cross was fired wide as the game reached its end.

FT: 0 – 0

Liverpool had dominated most of the second half and worked Leno several times but The Arsenal defence had performed well and we had worked our way more into the match in its last quarter. The Arsenal had shaded the first half but Liverpool had been the better team in the second. But as the famous notice says, “This is Anfield”. There was nothing between the teams so a penalty shoot-out was inevitable.

Penalties

Milner:                 1 – 0 (high right followed by a finger wag towards The Arsenal players)

Lacazette:            1 – 1 (low to his left sending Adrian the wrong way)

Wijnadum:          2 – 1 (high right into the roof of the net – no chance for Leno)

Cedric:                 2 – 2 (to his right, escaping the fingers of Adrian)

Minamino:           3 – 2 (high to his right, Leno diving the wrong way)

Elneny:                 3 – 2 (leftish but saved by Adrian – nice height for the keeper)

Origi:                   3 – 2 (leftish but saved by Leno – nice height for the keeper)

Maitland-Niles    3 – 3 (jogged up slowly, sent the keeper the wrong way – Mr Cool!)

Jones:                  4 – 3 (low into the corner beyond Leno)

Pepe:                   4 – 4 (low into the corner with Adrian going the wrong way)

Wilson:                4 – 4 (right but well saved by Leno diving to his left)

Willock:               5 – 4 (low and hard to his right, squirming under Adrian)

Well done lads! That is well-deserved revenge for our undeserved defeat on penalties a year ago. Bernd was awarded the Man of the Match award for his 7 saves during the game (plus two in the penalty shoot-out).

This was a much better performance than was produced in Monday’s game. We defended well and looked well organised, our midfield players were much more involved in the game both with and without the ball playing the ball forward at every opportunity and supporting our forwards who in turn defended from the front, pressed high and broke quickly.

Leno was outstanding and kept us in the game with several saves as well as being cool and efficient in the shoot-out. Cedric was solid and got forward well delivering several excellent through balls. Holding and Gabriel blended well as a centre-back pair and effectively blocked the centre to the Liverpool attack. Kolasinac made one rick but Salah was never a threat. Ceballos and Xhaka had one of their best games. They defended well when required, made themselves available when we were playing out of defence, turned well and played several excellent through balls. Willock and Saka both had outstanding performances and broke forward to support the forwards at every opportunity while always supporting the fullbacks when out of possession. Nketiah and Pepe worked their socks off up front, pressing constantly, tracking back when needed and breaking at speed. Elneny added energy when he came on for Ceballos and was gutted by his penalty. Lacazette worked hard during his cameo and took his penalty with aplomb while Maitland-Niles was again Mr Cool taking his penalty and had a smile as wide as Anfield as he jogged back to the centre circle. Top marks all round, especially for MA8 for his team selection and tactics.

Post-match, Mikel was very happy:

I’m really happy with the performance. I think the boys were exceptional. We corrected a few things from last Monday and the way we played against this team, I think, was superb. We controlled so many more things that they tried to do much better (and) some of the spaces that they like to attack. We competed much better in the second and third balls, (and) some of the duels. The level of aggression that we had, as well, the way we pressed them really, really high and put them under a lot of pressure, was exceptional, I think. (Bernd Leno) was really good. We had some problems on the set pieces and second and third phases and they had some chances there. We had some open chances as well and when we needed Bernd, we had him. You need top individual performances to win here at Anfield and this is what we had tonight!

It’s the third time we’ve played in the last eight weeks, I think, against the best team in Europe, in my opinion, and to come here to Anfield and play with the determination and courage that we’ve done tonight, I think is a big step for the team. I tell them that after Monday, we’ve made a big step forward, that we have a lot of things to learn from an exceptional team but we are on the right path, I think. I keep saying that still the gap towards them is big but the fact that the team, the players believe all the time that we play against them that we can beat them and we will keep improving to try to reach their level.

We want to take every competition as an opportunity to win a trophy and we have to do that with the club that we represent and we will try to go game by game.”

Jaimie Redknapp has kindly drawn us against Manchester City at the new home of football in the week commencing December 21^st and we are still on course for four trophies.

What a difference a year makes!