Liverpool secured their place in the fourth round of the League Cup with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, despite the visitors having the better of the early exchanges.
Alexis Mac Allister broke the deadlock with a superb curling effort from the edge of the box, and the hosts doubled their advantage shortly after the break when Cody Gakpo bent a right-footed strike into the far corner in the 54th minute. Spurs pulled one back through Conor Gallagher, who headed home from close range after Mateus Fernandes' corner was missed by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. However, Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool's two-goal cushion with a powerful half-volley to seal the win and send the Merseysiders through.
Despite the scoreline, Tottenham had created the more promising chances in the opening period, largely through the efforts of Destiny Udogie down the left flank. The Italian full-back was one of the standout performers on the night, setting up two clear opportunities - first cutting the ball back for Lucas Bergvall, who failed to convert when found free in the box, and later delivering a cross to the near post that Mohammed Kudus could only fire over the bar.
Defensively, though, Spurs struggled throughout the evening. Marcos Senesi endured a difficult night at the back, mixing some composed passing with jittery moments that suggested a lack of match sharpness. Archie Gray also had a shaky outing, unable to prevent Gakpo from doubling Liverpool's lead despite knowing the forward's intentions. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made a good stop from Lewis Koumas but could do little about the three goals that beat him.
In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur struggled to find his rhythm, losing the majority of his ground duels before being withdrawn before the hour mark for Fernandes, who made an almost instant impact by setting up Gallagher's goal with his corner delivery. Gallagher himself impressed with an improved attacking showing, constantly looking to drive forward with the ball.
Mohammed Kudus, making his first start after eight months on the sidelines, showed flashes of quality but understandably lacked sharpness. He forced a good save from Mamardashvili and should have done better with the chance created by Udogie. Mathys Tel continued to struggle for consistency, completing just two of his five attempted dribbles as he repeatedly ran into trouble. Omar Marmoush worked hard and created a good opening for Kudus after driving past several challengers, though he could not find a breakthrough of his own until a late effort was saved by Mamardashvili.
Tottenham's second-half substitutions offered some spark without changing the result. Andy Robertson, returning to Anfield, received a warm reception from the home supporters and provided an attacking outlet down the flank. James Maddison and Savio both added energy after coming on, with Savio nearly testing Mamardashvili late in the contest, though neither could find the finishing touch required. Dominic Solanke was introduced late as an additional attacking option but had little opportunity to influence the game.
The result means Liverpool progress to the fourth round of the competition, while Tottenham will look to bounce back after a frustrating night at Anfield exposed defensive vulnerabilities that manager Thomas Frank will need to address.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.