[ad_1]
Mikel Arteta kept his national cup record intact as Arsenal advanced to the round of 16 of the Carabao Cup on penalties, Joe Willock scored the crucial kick in the sudden death phase after Harry Wilson saw his effort stalled.
That was tough for Wilson, who made his first start at Anfield after several seasons on loan, although Divock Origi and Mohamed Elneny also had saved penalties and Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno deserved something for his regular-time saves that led the game. to the penalty shootout.
Liverpool and Arsenal must be tired of meeting, or maybe they are just tired. Despite being altered beyond recognition from their Premier League encounter at Anfield on Monday, these two shadow squads did little more than a shadow box for 90 minutes of normal time.
Fast guide
Carabao Cup Quarterfinal Draw
Stoke v Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford v Newcastle
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
Ties will be played in the week beginning December 21
Arsenal may have taken an early lead when Eddie Nketiah found himself with a shot opportunity at the six-yard line after eight minutes, though he hesitated a fraction too long and Adrian was able to reach out an arm to get the ball off his feet. While both sides made wholesale changes, Arsenal had a slight advantage in experience. They had the so-called Bukayo Saka from New England on the left back and it was a foul on the teenager that earned Takumi Minamino the first card.
When Minamino dropped Nicolas Pépé after losing the ball in the half hour, he was living dangerously, although Kevin Friend was content with a single warning.
Mohamed Salah, one of the few survivors of Liverpool’s 3-1 victory three days earlier, was probably their most dangerous attacker in an uneventful first half. For the most part, Saka took good care of the striker when he stayed on the wing, it was his regular forays into the box that seemed most likely to cause problems for Arsenal, although he clearly does not share the same kind of understanding with Diogo Jota and Minamino that he enjoys with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané.
All the drama of the first half was packed into its last minute. First Dani Ceballos escaped with a hasty entry on Jota who must have been out of the area by a matter of millimeters, then when Arsenal failed to clear the free kick, a header from Jota brought a save with a hand from Leno, with the arrival of Minamino speed to volley the bounce against the bar.
It was a clear but difficult opportunity, with the ball at an uncomfortable height and Minamino without time to readjust his position. While Liverpool had probably put more pressure on their opponents’ goal than Arsenal had, in terms of scoring opportunities, neither team seemed particularly threatening.
Leno came back to Arsenal’s rescue early in the second half when Virgil van Dijk was hit by a corner and fired at the goal from a couple of meters. There was no great power in the effort, but he was heading towards the bottom corner until the goalkeeper gracefully ducked to his right to push him off.
Fast guide
Carabao Cup recap: Brentford overtake Fulham
Saïd Benrahma gave his Premier League suitors a boost as Brentford avenged their defeat in the play-off final with a 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Fulham.
Benrahma, Brentford’s rising star last season, scored two goals when the Bees reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
The Algerian midfielder has linked up with a number of top-flight clubs but, with a move yet to materialize, he had his first start this season and seized the opportunity in style.
What Brentford would have given for a performance like this two months ago, when their West London rivals led them to promotion in the championship play-off final at Wembley. The defeat meant further suffering for Fulham manager Scott Parker, whose team lost all three games after returning to the top flight.
Parker made 10 changes to the flank hit by Aston Villa on Monday and were inches from taking a lead in the 10th minute when Neeskens Kebano threw a 25-yard free throw around Brentford’s wall and against the crossbar.
Instead, Brentford went ahead eight minutes before the break with rookie Saman Ghoddos as architect. The Iranian midfielder took advantage when Jean Michaël Seri lost possession, found space on the right and squared the ball for young Finn Marcus Forss to finish it off.
Parker sent Ademola Lookman for her halftime debut and the former Everton winger, on loan from RB Leipzig, injected some urgency into his attack.
However, Benrahma doubled the lead when he reached the far post to convert Ethan Pinnock’s header into the goal. Last season’s star performer then killed Fulham with an impressive twist and shot for what could be his last goal in the Brentford colors.
Villa, a finalist from last season, was unable to continue his good form in the league as they fell 1-0 to Stoke. Former Wolves forward Sam Vokes scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half. Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings, included in England’s list for matches with Wales, Belgium and Denmark, did not participate. Guardian sport
Jota fired a wide deflected shot and Marko Grujic headed down the wrong side of a post and then brought another stop from Leno as Liverpool began to dominate, at which point Jürgen Klopp kept his original plan and took Salah and Van Dijk out after one hour, eliminating the only two outfield players who had started the previous game.
The pattern did not change, Leno was still needed to avoid Jota and Grujic’s attempts, and if anything Liverpool stepped up their pressure play with Origi on the field, but an excellent cover entry from Neco Williams was necessary to avoid Saka to open the scoreboard. against the running of the game. Pépé and Nketiah also had chances and Willock had a penalty appeal rejected in injury time.
