Liverpool reached their first Wembley final for six years after a double from Diogo Jota was enough to see off Arsenal at the Emirates.
After last week’s 0-0 draw at Anfield in the first-leg, it was all to play for in the capital, and although Arsenal started brightly, the Reds were ultimately just too good for them.
Jota opened the scoring after just 19 minutes when his scuffed shot after a fine run beat scrambling Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
While the forward’s second came with 15 minutes remaining, however he was made to wait for a VAR review after his effort was initially ruled out for offside.
Liverpool will now face Chelsea in the final, and below is how the national media reported on the tie.
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'Liverpool were in control'
Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail wrote: “ Jurgen Klopp has brought Liverpool far greater glories than anything available in this competition but an appearance in a domestic cup final should be cherished on Merseyside just the same.
“It is one of the modern game’s strange anomalies that Liverpool have won just one Wembley cup final in the last 15 years.
“In that time, the Manchester clubs have won 12 between them and last night’s beaten opponents have won four. So a success is overdue for Liverpool and now, against Chelsea next month, they will have the opportunity.
“They deserve their place too and will probably start that game as slight favourites. After playing so poorly in drawing last week’s first leg 0-0 against Arsenal’s 10 men, Klopp’s team were much improved here at the Emirates.
“Arsenal started the night well but could not contain early momentum. Once Diogo Jota scored an opening goal that Aaron Ramsdale should have saved in the 19th minute, Liverpool were in control and from then on their goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher didn’t have a serious save to make.
“Jota, the Portuguese forward, was Liverpool’s best player and scored the decisive second goal with 16 minutes to go. Initially ruled out for offside, the goal was given after a VAR check showed Jota to have been the right side of Arsenal defender Gabriel.”
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'Liverpool were in no mood for clemency'
Jonathan Liew of the Guardian wrote: “Liverpool were in no mood for clemency. After starting a little slowly they quickly settled into the game following the first goal, holding Arsenal at bay and thoroughly dominating in midfield.
"If Jota and Alexander-Arnold were the two best players on the pitch, the magnificent Fabinho was not far behind.
"With Jordan Henderson plugging the gaps and Curtis Jones discovering the spaces nobody else could see, Arsenal spent long periods of the game trying, and failing, to get close.
“But Jota was deservedly the star of the show, starting on the left with a licence to roam. This is probably his best role, allowing him to get the ball in space and use his quick feet to cut into the centre (goal one), or sit on the shoulder of the last man and attack the gap between full-back and centre-half (goal two). And against a half-cooked Tomiyasu, Jota was in his element.
“A gorgeous flowing move on 19 minutes had taken Liverpool the length of the field, from deep in their own territory to the edge of the penalty area, leaving Arsenal temporarily short on numbers.
"Jota shuffled, teased Tomiyasu and turned him inside out, before drifting inside and rolling a shot past Aaron Ramsdale with all the delicacy of a red into the middle pocket.”
'He was the difference between the sides'
Darren Wells of the Mirror wrote: “You almost run out of superlatives to praise Liverpool's midfield enforcer Fabinho, who was again sublime in the middle of the park.
“The Brazilian seemed to be everywhere when his side were out of possession, breaking up play, and forcing Arsenal's players into errors, while dictating the tempo when they had won it back.
“A perfectly-timed tackle on Gabriel Martinelli was a fine demonstration of his importance, chasing back to nick the ball off the striker's toes when he was through on goal.
“He was the difference between the sides in midfield, and the type of player Arsenal - who left Thomas Partey on the bench before his red card - were missing.”
'Jota stepped up to the plate'
James Gheerbrant of The Times wrote: “Liverpool saw off the challenge of Arsenal in this fiercely contested semi-final second leg, earning a passage to their first domestic cup final since 2016. Two goals, scored and created by the brilliant duo of Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold, settled the contest after Arsenal’s fine rearguard effort in the goalless first leg. This was a more even, end-to-end game, but it was Liverpool who showed superior composure in defence, control in midfield and quality in attack.
“Arsenal’s recent form has been strong, Liverpool’s a little disappointing, but if there had been any notion of a narrowing gap between these two teams, it was largely dispelled here. In the absence of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, Jota stepped up to the plate, whereas Arsenal keenly felt the absence of Granit Xhaka, and the only partial involvement of Thomas Partey, in a midfield battle they decisively lost.”
