Liverpool vs Tottenham LIVE: Carabao Cup semi-final team news and line-ups as Reds seek to overturn deficit | OneFootball

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'Mohamed Salah is old and wise enough' to make 'right decision' over his future, says Liverpool boss Arne Slot

Liverpool have work to do when they host Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg this evening.

The Reds lost the first leg 1-0 in London after Lucas Bergvall scored late in the game to give Spurs the win and, more crucially, a slim advantage heading into tonight’s match at Anfield. Arne Slot’s men have the ability and willingness to come from behind and reach the final at Wembley. Liverpool have lost just one of their last seven, when Slot fielded a weakened team in the Champions League against PSV, and two goals from Mo Salah in their recent win over Bournemouth means their leading goalscorer is in top form.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have struggled to build any momentum in their recent games but a confidence-boosting win over Brentford came at the right time for Ange Postecoglou’s side. They’ve won consecutive games for the first time in a month and hope to avoid defeat this evening to secure a spot at Wembley.

Tottenham line-up versus Liverpool

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence; Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son

Mike Jones6 February 2025 19:03

Liverpool team to face Spurs

Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo

Mike Jones6 February 2025 19:01

Slot's motivation to win Carabao Cup semi-final

Arne Slot explained why he wants to win tonight’s tie so much and what it would mean to reach the league cup final.

“It cannot be underestimated,” he said. “Maybe some of these players are already used to Wembley, but it would be my first time to go to Wembley.

“If you go to England people are talking about Wembley as an iconic stadium, especially if it's a final.

“So you can be sure that we as a team want to win that game to go to Wembley.”

Mike Jones6 February 2025 18:55

Arne Slot reveals unique reason why he wants Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup

Arne Slot revealed he has a particular motivation to win the Carabao Cup – because he has never been to Wembley.

Liverpool enter the second leg of their semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 down after Lucas Bergvall’s goal in London but with Slot having a personal reason to want a comeback.

While Liverpool have won the competition in two of the last three seasons and are the defending champions after Jurgen Klopp’s triumph over Chelsea last season, new head coach Slot has never gone to England’s national stadium, either as a manager or a fan. And that is driving him on.

Arne Slot reveals unique reason why he wants Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup

Liverpool face Tottenham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit

Mike Jones6 February 2025 18:50

How will Spurs cope?

Tottenham bring a one goal advantage into the match tonight and that could factor into the way they go about getting through the tie.

Ange Postecoglou was asked if his players will focus on the game at hand or the fact they’re already in front in the tie.

He replied: "You've got to do both. It is a big occasion for us, the club and the fans. It's a semi-final.

“Irrespective, I don't think Liverpool will be any less anxious than us for a semi-final, a second leg. It is tight and a big game for both clubs.

“You recognise that, embrace that, but ultimately if you want to be successful then these are the games you want to be involved in.

“There is no point in having trepidation about it because the alternative is you will be watching two other teams on the TV and you would be sitting on the couch wishing you were there.

“We are going to be there, we've got a chance and we will go for it."

Mike Jones6 February 2025 18:40

Postecoglou on Mathys Tel's future

Asked ahead of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Liverpool if Mathys Tel will be a Spurs player next season, Ange Postecoglou declared: “He’ll be a Tottenham player, mate.

“He’ll be a Tottenham player. I think he’ll show everyone he’s going to be a Tottenham player in the next six months. I didn’t bring him here for six months.

“I think he is very, very exciting. When you meet him, you realise he’s got that bit about him as a person who has enormous self-belief and confidence in what he can do and what he wants to do.

“Even though he’s young, physically he’s already in a place where he can take on the enormous challenges of being an attacking player in the Bundesliga and I think he can handle the Premier League.

“He’s a goalscorer, he can take people on, he’s got speed. He is exciting. I’d be very surprised if there was a club that wouldn’t be interested in somebody like him.

“Irrespective of the situation we’re in, us being able to get him in and the circumstances behind it, is fantastic for the football club.”

Mike Jones6 February 2025 18:35

Is preparing for a semi-final a different process?

“I don't think I have to prepare them differently than in any other game,” when asked if he has prepared his players differently for this semi-final.

Slot added: “Because from now until the end of the season, it's been already the whole season, and I think as long as Liverpool exists, if you play in this shirt, you need to win the game.

“That's for tomorrow, that's for Sunday, that's for Wednesday afterwards and the game after that. Even if we go 1-0 down in the league or whatever tournament we are in, we try and want to win the game.

“That's also what we tried in the away game against Tottenham – I think we were quite close to getting a result over there until the last few seconds, we were down to 10 and conceded a goal.

“Nothing changes for this game compared to others. If you wear this shirt, if you go out at Anfield, there is only one thing that is expected of you – and that's winning the game. “

Mike Jones6 February 2025 18:25