Liverpool just bounced Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup, extending Spurs’ brutal winless start to the season under Roberto De Zerbi. This was a “much-changed” Liverpool side, too, but they had more than enough to send Tottenham packing and keep De Zerbi searching for that elusive first victory.
Spurs’ Struggles Are Real, And The Numbers Are Getting Hard To Ignore
Tottenham rolled out a strong team for this match, and honestly, they started well enough. They even *should* have taken the lead in the first half when Lucas Bergvall got a cross right at his feet in the box. But nope, Liverpool’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili came up with a stunning stop to deny him. After that miss, Alexis Mac Allister fired Liverpool into the lead with a first-time shot from the edge of the box right into the top corner. Talk about a gut punch. Things just got worse when Cody Gakpo cut inside from the left and slammed Liverpool into a two-goal lead shortly after the break. You know that stat about Tottenham not coming from behind to win in 47 previous attempts? Yeah, it held true again. Conor Gallagher did finally score Tottenham’s first goal of the season to set up a frantic ending, but that was all she wrote. James Maddison’s introduction did improve things for Tottenham, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Reds’ Youngsters and Vets Step Up Big Time
Even with a much-changed lineup, Liverpool showed up to play. Mamardashvili, the No. 2 keeper, made that excellent early save on Bergvall and another later on from Omar Marmoush, proving his worth despite looking a bit weak on Tottenham’s goal. Ronald Araujo, the only player to keep his spot from Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Fulham, displayed serious authority in the backline. And Mac Allister? He delivered another big Anfield goal, showing his class when Liverpool needed his experience most. The young guns were flying too! Rio Ngumoha, just 18, produced a wonderful turn and pass to set up Lewis Koumas for an early chance and had a hand in Mac Allister’s opener. Trey Nyoni, 19, played deep in midfield and didn’t put a foot wrong once he adjusted to the game’s pace. James McConnell brought tons of energy and led Liverpool’s hugely improved press. Cody Gakpo continued his superb start to the season with a trademark finish and brought real incision to the attack, all while wearing the armband. And then Dominik Szoboszlai just launched a late rocket to seal the deal.
This win sends Liverpool through to the fourth round, and for Tottenham, it means De Zerbi still needs to find that first win, and fast. The pressure is building, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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