LONDON FALLING!
FIVE capital clubs crash out of cup
FIVE London clubs suffered capital punishment last night as they were all dumped out of the Carabao Cup third round. Spurs went down 2-0 at Nottingham Forest, with manager Antonio Conte warning that England captain Harry Kane is suffering from fatigue. League leaders Arsenal lost 3-1 at home to Brighton, while Chelsea were beaten
2-0 at Manchester City. Crystal Palace and West Ham lost on penalties to Newcastle and Blackburn, leaving League One Charlton as the last of London’s 11 clubs standing.
COULD it have been any other way? The first trophy of the Liverpool-FSG era was the League Cup in 2012, secured via penalties. The second time they won it was in February, again via penalties, so how fitting that suspense from 12 yards would figure in this tumultuous week.
With the benefit of hindsight, it should not have come as a surprise. Liverpool have not managed to win a League Cup tie in normal time at Anfield since they beat Leeds in November 2016 and it has never been in their nature to do things the easy way.
This, nonetheless, was a drama as unexpected as FSG putting the club up for sale, a night when Liverpool looked like they might lose their grip on the trophy they have won a record nine times, only to wrestle it back into their grasp.
It helped, of course, that their lucky charm was in goal. Caoimhin Kelleher has played eight League Cup games, four of which have gone to penalties. His record is unblemished — four straight wins — and his total number of saves now stands at a club record six. The statistics are remarkable.
‘Wow!’ exclaimed Jurgen Klopp when the numbers were relayed to him. ‘I am over the moon for him. He is a grounded boy. He barely smiles but when he does you know it means a lot. That was massive, as they were three good penalties.’
Conor Hourihane, Craig Forsyth and Lewis Dobbin all saw Kelleher plunge to keep their kicks out and that enabled Alex OxladeChamberlain, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott to send Liverpool through to the fourth round.
Try as Klopp did to talk about the football, in a tie that showed why this competition continues to be a vital part of the calendar, he knew there must be an acknowledgement of all that has happened since Monday, when FSG’s intentions became clear.
‘It did not impact us at all,’ said Klopp. ‘I knew about it a little bit before. I think it makes sense to look for investors. For me, it means nothing. Whatever happens, I really like how we work with the owners but if anything changes I am really committed to this club.’
There was no sign of Liverpool’s ownership group in the directors’ box — they only tend to watch Carabao Cup games in person if their team is in the final — but their presence was all-encompassing, in the form of two towering new stands and a glance at the players on the pitch.
This has always been the game that Klopp has used to give youth a chance and in the previous 24 ties Liverpool had played in the competition, the manager had used 80 different players, the majority of them being youngsters who were desperate to impress.
It was a striking number and one that immediately jumped to 85 when the teamsheet arrived: Calvin Ramsay, Fabio Carvalho, Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic four of the 11 changes to the side that had got their Premier League campaign back on track last Sunday with a win at Tottenham.
This, though, wasn’t just about Liverpool’s shortcomings. Derby worked their socks off and boss Paul Warne was relentless in the technical area, hollering for his group to retain their shape.
The first half was attritional, with the first meaningful attempt at goal in the 15th minute, with Oxlade-Chamberlain fizzing a volley fractionally off target. He was starting for the first time since March 20 and his anxiety to do well was obvious; he’s out of contract next summer and it’s a shame that his career on Merseyside has not followed the trajectory that once appeared likely.
Still, he kept trying to make the runs beyond Liverpool’s forwards, looking to ask questions whenever he could. The same was also true of Layton Stewart, a 20-year- old striker who has been on the club’s books since he was seven.
His willingness to scuttle around Derby’s defenders led to a chance in the 31st minute, after he won possession and nudged a ball out
to Fabio Carvalho. The Portuguese got a yard for himself and crossed to Stewart but his header looped over Joe Wildsmith’s bar to safety.
Derby showed more oomph at the beginning of the second period, with a chance arriving at the feet of Collins in the 48th minute; it was a good one, too, but he didn’t have the composure to finish.
In the 56th minute and the best move of the match should have resulted in them making the breakthrough when Melkamu Frauendorf’s header arrived at the feet of Oxlade- Chamberlain. Again, he lacked conviction and his volley looped harmlessly wide.
The sight of Nunez, Elliott and Roberto Firmino getting ready for action was all the evidence that was required that they could do without the drama of a shootout.
Liverpool’s play certainly became more urgent and chances started to arrive, the best of which fell to Elliott in the 81st minute but he was denied by a quite superb save from Wildsmith, whose agility enabled him to divert Elliott’s touch, much to the young midfielder’s disbelief.
Elliott, however, would have the last laugh as he converted the last spot- kick. He celebrated by running straight to Kelleher. It was the right thing to do. LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Kelleher 6.5; Ramsay 6.5, Phillips 7, Gomez 6, Tsimikas 6; Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Bajcetic 6, Clark 6 (Elliott 66min, 7); Frauendorf 6 (Firmino 66, 6), Stewart 6 (Nunez 66, 6), Carvalho 6 (Doak 74). Booked: None.
Manager: Jurgen Klopp 6.
DERBY (5-4-1): WILDSMITH 7.5; Smith 6 (Rooney 90), Forsyth 7, Cashin 7, Roberts 7, Sibley 6; Mendez-Laing 5 (Thompson 71, 6), Bird 6 (Knight 90), Hourihane 7, Osula 5 (Dobbin 61, 6); Collins 5 (McGoldrick 61, 5). Booked: None.
Manager: Paul Warne 6.
Referee: Tony Harrington 6.
Attendance: Not provided.