Cody Gakpo caps second-half turnaround as Liverpool earn advantage over Fulham

By Sports Desk January 10, 2024

Substitutes Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez came off the bench to help turn around Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at home to Fulham and ensured they will take a 2-1 lead to Craven Cottage.

The pair were introduced early in the second half with the hosts trailing to Willian’s 19th-minute goal after a Virgil van Dijk error.

Liverpool were struggling for creativity without the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold – who helped turn a 3-2 Fulham lead into a 4-3 Reds win in last month’s Premier League meeting – but as at Arsenal in the FA Cup at the weekend Jurgen Klopp’s changes altered the game.

Nunez added a directness which had been lacking while Gakpo brought the composure and control to midfield Ryan Gravenberch had not before he was replaced by his Netherlands team-mate.

And the pair combined for Gakpo to score in the 71st minute, just three minutes after Curtis Jones’ deflected equaliser.

The last team to win at Anfield was Real Madrid in February. Before that it was another side in white, Leeds in October 2022, and Fulham – in their first League Cup semi-final – must have been encouraged by the start they had.

Klopp made six changes from the weekend and while that saw 20-year-old Conor Bradley deputise for Alexander-Arnold in only his second start of the season, it also included the return of Van Dijk.

The Netherlands captain was back after illness but his decision to head a ball aimlessly sideways on the edge of his area proved costly.

Andreas Pereira nipped in behind and cut the ball back to the penalty spot where a couple of neat touches from Willian opened up the space for him to fire through the legs of the recovering Dutchman and give goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher little chance.

Moments later Van Dijk was booked for catching Pereira in the face with an arm as his travails continued.

But his personal difficulties were matched by his team, who were too one-paced in their build-up.

Harvey Elliott was given Mohamed Salah’s position on the right wing but his role often seemed to require filling the space usually occupied by Alexander-Arnold, which meant dropping deep with Bradley pushing forward as an orthodox over-lapping full-back.

But apart from an early Jones attempt straight at Bernd Leno and a Diogo Jota narrow-angle shot across the face of goal chances were rare with Fulham having more on target in the first half.

The tempo increased after the break with Gravenberch shooting wide and Jota delaying a fraction too long having created space for himself with a square run across the penalty area allowing Antonee Robinson to block.

But as the hosts pressed for the equaliser Fulham were able to expose the space opening up in Liverpool’s defence and Kelleher got down low to parry a Bobby Decordova-Reid shot.

Alexis Mac Allister’s cross was turned over by Leno but the equaliser had an element of good fortune when Jones took aim from distance and went in off Tosin Adarabioyo’s back.

Leno was beaten again when Gakpo turned home Nunez’s near-post cross after linking with Jota.

Liverpool’s all-action Uruguay international could have all-but sealed Liverpool’s passage to Wembley before the return leg but a full-stretch Leno tipped over his header, pushed away a fierce drive and blocked his close-range effort.

Related items

  • Mead: Slegers 'a breath of fresh air' at Arsenal Mead: Slegers 'a breath of fresh air' at Arsenal

    Beth Mead said that Renee Slegers has been a "breath of fresh air" ahead of Arsenal's Women's Champions League tie against Juventus on Tuesday.

    Slegers has been in interim charge of the Gunners since Jonas Eidevall's resignation last month, and has impressed during her temporary tenure. 

    She has won three of her four games at the helm, the latest of which came in a 5-0 victory against Brighton, moving Arsenal up to fourth in the Women's Super League table.

    And Mead, who joined Slegers on pre-match press duties on Monday, believes Arsenal are heading in the right direction under her guidance.  

    “It’s a breath of fresh air with Renee and we’re enjoying it so far," Mead said. "We’re in a good place at the moment.

    "We have the environment to build again, it’s a release of new energy right now and when you get the results and the performances, then it makes you a happier footballer.

    When asked if she would like Slegers to stay at Arsenal, Mead added: “In some capacity. We love having Renee here and will be happy with whatever she chooses to do.”

    However, Slegers revealed she was unsure about what the future may hold, placing full focus on their upcoming Champions League clash.

    "I think I get this question every time, and my answer will be the same," Slegers began. 

    "I'm very much in the moment, I know that this will be the situation for this block, and we as the coaching staff are trying to do everything to help the girls forward.

    "I think everyone is putting that little extra in from both the staff and the player's perspective. So I’m just trying to get the best out of Arsenal, because I care a lot.

    "I really enjoyed the role I had before. Now I have to play this role for the team, so I’ll play this role for the team. About the future? I don't know."

    Arsenal will be looking to improve their recent away from in Europe on Tuesday at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora. 

    They are winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), only enduring a longer run in the competition once before (D1 L3 between 2003 and 2005). 

    The Gunners sit second in Group C on three points, level with Tuesday's opponents, but Slegers is confident of sealing a big result in Italy. 

    "We are going there to play our best football, and we have a big belief in what we can do tomorrow," Slegers said. 

    "Looking at what we've been performing lately, and obviously scouting Juventus, we have a big belief in ourselves. 

    "And then we'll see how the game progresses, what decisions we have to make, but we go there to win."

  • Arsenal's Slegers 'a breath of fresh air', says Mead Arsenal's Slegers 'a breath of fresh air', says Mead

    Beth Mead said that Renee Slegers has been a "breath of fresh air" ahead of Arsenal's Women's Champions League tie against Juventus on Tuesday.

    Slegers has been in interim charge of the Gunners since Jonas Eidevall's resignation last month, and has impressed during her temporary tenure. 

    She has won three of her four games at the helm, the latest of which came in a 5-0 victory against Brighton, moving Arsenal up to fourth in the Women's Super League table.

    And Mead, who joined Slegers on pre-match press duties on Monday, believes Arsenal are heading in the right direction under her guidance.  

    “It’s a breath of fresh air with Renee and we’re enjoying it so far," Mead said. "We’re in a good place at the moment.

    "We have the environment to build again, it’s a release of new energy right now and when you get the results and the performances, then it makes you a happier footballer.

    When asked if she would like Slegers to stay at Arsenal, Mead added: “In some capacity. We love having Renee here and will be happy with whatever she chooses to do.”

    However, Slegers revealed she was unsure about what the future may hold, placing full focus on their upcoming Champions League clash.

    "I think I get this question every time, and my answer will be the same," Slegers began. 

    "I'm very much in the moment, I know that this will be the situation for this block, and we as the coaching staff are trying to do everything to help the girls forward.

    "I think everyone is putting that little extra in from both the staff and the player's perspective. So I’m just trying to get the best out of Arsenal, because I care a lot.

    "I really enjoyed the role I had before. Now I have to play this role for the team, so I’ll play this role for the team. About the future? I don't know."

    Arsenal will be looking to improve their recent away from in Europe on Tuesday at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora. 

    They are winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), only enduring a longer run in the competition once before (D1 L3 between 2003 and 2005). 

    The Gunners sit second in Group C on three points, level with Tuesday's opponents, but Slegers is confident of sealing a big result in Italy. 

    "We are going there to play our best football, and we have a big belief in what we can do tomorrow," Slegers said. 

    "Looking at what we've been performing lately, and obviously scouting Juventus, we have a big belief in ourselves. 

    "And then we'll see how the game progresses, what decisions we have to make, but we go there to win."

  • England lose eight big names in Carsley's final squad England lose eight big names in Carsley's final squad

    Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer and Declan Rice headlined England's latest withdrawals from Lee Carsley's final squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures. 

    The Three Lions take on Greece this Thursday before returning to Wembley three days later to face the Republic of Ireland, but will be without eight key players for those games.

    Alexander-Arnold was replaced by Conor Bradley in the 25th minute of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, though Arne Slot is hopeful the injury is not a serious one.

    And his absence will be felt by the Three Lions. Only Mohamed Salah (21) has created more chances for the Reds in the Premier League this term than Alexander-Arnold (20). 

    Palmer, who missed training following a challenge from Lisandro Martinez during Chelsea’s draw with Manchester United before playing against Arsenal, is another to drop out. 

    This season, Palmer's 12 goal involvements (seven goals, five assists) in the Premier League is only bettered by Liverpool's Salah (14). 

    Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Rice also miss out, with the latter dealing with a foot injury that forced him to miss the Gunners' Champions League defeat to Inter last week. 

    Rice was substituted in the 71st minute of their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, with Saka limping off 10 minutes from time at Stamford Bridge. 

    Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are also ruled out, with Pep Guardiola expressing his frustration about the latter's inclusion by Carsley after ruling him out of their trip to Brighton.

    Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale and Chelsea's Levi Colwill have also withdrawn from the initial 26-man squad. 

    It has, however, opened the door for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers to receive his first senior call after impressing under Unai Emery this season. 

    Rogers has three goals and three assists in 15 appearances in all competitions for the Villans this term, a total only bettered by Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins (both eight). 

    Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford have also been added to Carsley's ranks. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.