Diogo Jota scored twice for Liverpool at The Emirates last night to put them into the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea next month.
With yet another makeshift team, in a dishonestly rearranged game, we looked good for the first twenty minutes before Jota scored his first goal, scuffing a rolling effort past Aaron Ramsdale.
Lacazette had hit the bar during the first twenty minutes, but their goal seemed to take the wind out of our sails and we struggled to get ourselves back into the game.
Jota doubled his tally and the Liverpool lead with just 13 minutes left, latching onto a Terence Trent-Arnold through ball to survive a VAR review and put the tie beyond Arsenal’s weary warriors.
Obviously, there was still time for one of our midfielders to do something stupid, up steps Thomas Partey, who landed back from Cameroon at midday, comes on as sub, doesn’t know what day it is, two fouls, two yellows, that’s the Arsenal. Fabinho, 5 worse fouls, yep, you’ve guessed it, no yellow card.
This now means Partey will join Xhaka on the suspension naughty step for our next game, Burnley at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. Aubameyang back and fit.
Liverpool were a cut above in the second leg, different class even without their best players, would it have been any different if they’d not lied to postpone the first game? Who knows, I would imagine we’d have struggled with the away leg second, but I guess the outcome would have been the same.
In all fairness, our squad looked tired, and sluggish despite their bright start, think they could all do with a well-earned rest. Following Burnley, they have two weeks off until Wolves away, so fingers crossed we can get a win, recharge and go again at Molineux. Who knows, we might even have everyone fit and a couple of shiny new signings!
