Jürgen Klopp paid tribute to his “world-class” match-winner Diogo Jota after Liverpool swept aside Arsenal and made history by reaching their 13th League Cup final.
Klopp will lead his team out against Chelsea at Wembley on 27 February with Liverpool aiming to win the trophy for a record ninth time after Jota’s two goals saw off Mikel Arteta’s side, who once again finished the game with 10 men. Thomas Partey was dismissed late in the game for a high tackle on Fabinho and though the game was already lost by that point, it was Arsenal’s sixth red card of the season and their third already in 2022.
Ultimately, it was a footnote in the story as Jota wrote the headlines to Klopp’s delight. “The mood in the dressing room is over the moon. Difficult game, difficult time but the boys were exceptional,” said the manager, with the club having made competition history by clinching final No 13.
“First half, Arsenal started lively, then we calmed it down, played good football and created plenty. Second half similar. We scored two wonderful goals, Diogo Jota on fire. We were completely convinced when he arrived at the club he would help us massively. Since he is here he has made another step, he has turned into a really world-class striker.
“Mentality mixed with quality is the reason we signed him. Of course he scored two goals, he is incredibly important to us, so it is that mix of his skills that is really exciting. He is in good shape as well and long may it continue.”
For Arsenal, it was a story of what might have been having ground out a 0-0 draw in the first leg at Anfield. Partey’s suspension – earned just hours after returning to London from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ghana – further depletes Arsenal’s threadbare squad before the visit of Burnley on Sunday. And coming after similar sanctions for Granit Xhaka and Gabriel in recent weeks, Arteta had clearly decided enough is enough. “It’s a big loss,” he said of Partey’s red card.
“We have to learn from that. We’ve played the last three games [actually three of the last four] with 10 men, and against the top sides you can’t do that. It’s difficult enough to beat them, but with 10 men it becomes a real challenge with the men we have out.
“It has happened for different reasons, now we have to eradicate it completely. If we want to win games we have to stay playing with 11 players.”
