LONDON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 8, 2025: Liverpool players line-up for a team group photograph before the Football League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

How Liverpool can achieve impressive League Cup feat for 1st time in 41 years

Liverpool are looking to make it into their third League Cup final in four years and their second in a row for the first time in 41 years.

Arne Slot‘s side host Tottenham in the semi-final second leg on Thursday evening, looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the return fixture.

No team in history has won more League Cups than Liverpool, who have lifted the trophy 10 times, and another trip to Wembley is within touching distance.

Should the Reds progress, they will reach a second successive final for the first time since they faced Everton in 1984 – their fourth in a row at that point.

Liverpool have lost the first leg at this stage of the competition on six occasions, including this tie, coming back to reach the final twice.

 

Gakpo’s superb form highlighted

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 25, 2025: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Ipswich Town FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Cody Gakpo needs just one goal to equal his tally for the whole of last season.

The Dutchman is currently on 15 for the campaign, despite it only being early February, highlighting the impressive form he has been in.

Mohamed Salah has scored 12 times against Spurs in his 17 Liverpool appearances in all competitions.

Only Ian Rush with 13 goals in 31 games has scored more for the Reds against them.

 

Don’t expect a 0-0 at Anfield

LONDON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 8, 2025: Tottenham Hotspur's head coach Ange Postecoglou (L) embraces Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot after the Football League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Ange Postecoglou has been in charge of Spurs for 78 matches in all competitions since being appointed in the summer of 2023.

In that time, 267 goals have been scored in total, with the north Londoners conceding 114.

Spurs have not played out a goalless draw in any of their last 117 domestic league and cup games since a 0-0 at Brentford in the league in April 2022.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min Son has scored seven goals in his 18 appearances against Liverpool, and he has scored in six of his last nine outings.

The South Korean has netted in each of his last four matches at Anfield.

 

History bodes well for Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 5, 2024: Liverpool's Andy Robertson celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Since the 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane in October 2015 – Jurgen Klopp’s first game – the loss to Spurs last month was the first time in 21 successive meetings that Liverpool failed to score.

The Reds have lost just three of the last 27 encounters in league and cup – the 4-1 defeat at Wembley in October 2017, the 2-1 away defeat last season and last month’s loss.

Spurs have not kept a clean sheet at Anfield in any of the last 13 visits, since playing out a 0-0 draw in February 2012.

 

This season’s scorers

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 1, 2025: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Dean Court. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Salah 25, Gakpo 15, Diaz 12, Jota 8, Nunez 6, Szoboszlai 4, Elliott 3, Jones 3, Mac Allister 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Konate 2, Van Dijk 2, Chiesa 1, Danns 1

Tottenham: Johnson 12, Solanke 11, Son 10, Kulusevski 9, Maddison 9, Sarr 5, Richarlison 3, Bentancur 2, Bissouma 2, Pedro Porro 2, Ajayi 1, Bergvall 1, Lankshear 1, Moore 1, Romero 1, Scarlett 1, Spence 1, Werner 1, own goals 4


* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).