Liverpool vs Arsenal Carabao cup
Liverpool vs Arsenal during the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday night. Following the Cup’s semi-final, Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and keeper Alisson Becker have resumed training; Arsenal may miss having numerous key players even as the teams look forward to the match on Thursday evening at 7:45 pm.
The Reds’ defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and goalkeeper Alisson Becker have resumed training following their absence resulting from the Covid-19 absence and will be rejoining the Reds squad for the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at the home to Gunners.
Midfielder Thiago Alcantara (hip) and striker Divock Origi (knee) will still miss out in Reds’ squad as do the Africa Cup of Nations trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita.
Left-back Andy Robertson has overcome a knock he had at the weekend and so Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has a strong squad from which he will have to make a choice.
Aubameyang celebrates after scoring in a past match. Photo courtesy: Getty Images.
Arsenal could play with the absence of a number of prolific and key players for the trip to Anfield. The former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe, Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey are all with their respective national teams at the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This is the 13th different League Cup tie between Arsenal and Liverpool, with each side winning and progressing six times in the previous twelve. It is considered the most played fixture in the entire history of the contest.
This being the third consecutive season Arsenal and Liverpool have met in the League Cup, with both sides proceeding once each through the penalties (Liverpool in 2019-20, Arsenal in 2020-21) it’s the first time two top-flight clubs have met in three consecutive campaigns in the contest since Coventry vs Nottingham Forest between 1988-89 and 1990-91.
Red players celebrating their score in a past match.Photo courtesy: Getty Images
The last five League Cup meetings between Arsenal and Liverpool have had a total of 28 goals, despite the fourth round tie last term finishing 0-0 draw. The Reds have lost just one of their eight home games against the Gunners in the League Cup going down 6-3 in January 2007 with Julio Baptista scoring four goals for the Gunners.
Under the management of Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool have managed to score more goals against Arsenal in all the 43 competitions more than they have scored against any other opponents. The Gunners have progressed from three of their past four League Cup semi-final ties. However, no side has been knocked out at this stage of the contest more often than Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham.
Jurgen Klopp’s side has only been knocked out in five of their 17 League Cup semi-final ties. However, two of those have been in their last three appearances at this stage, falling to Chelsea in 2014-15 and Southampton in 2016-17.
The Gunners are the highest scorers in this season’s EFL Cup with 16 goals, while no player has scored such a number of times in this season’s competition than Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah. Nketiah managed to score 10 goals in nine appearances in the contest overall, scoring once on average every 66 minute.
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