Arsenal draw Liverpool in the semi-finals
Arsenal have drawn Liverpool in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
The draw for the semi-final of the @Carabao_Cup has been made…
…and we will be playing at home against Liverpool
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 22, 2021
The Gunners came through the quarter-finals with ease thanks to a 5-1 win over League 1 Sunderland on Tuesday evening, but Liverpool were forced to come from two goals behind to ultimately prevail in a thrilling penalty shoot-out with Leicester City, after an injury-time equaliser from Takumi Minamino.
Into the semi-finals of the @Carabao_Cup we go? pic.twitter.com/7Ym8RS8hyR
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 22, 2021
And now, they have learned their fate, as Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta will face off once again, this time at the Emirates Stadium.
I’ll take Liverpool in the semi. Feel they’re the likeliest to play second string.
— The Gooner Talk (@TheGoonerTalkTv) December 22, 2021
Happy with that. Let the other London clubs fight it out in the other semi and hope Klopp continues to heavily rotate (plus Salah and Mané are gone anyway).
— Dan Critchlow (@afcDW) December 22, 2021
Ideal draw out of the four in my opinion. Liverpool are the team most likely to put out a weak side.
— Jason Soutar (@jbsoutar) December 22, 2021
Arsenal fans spot double boost
And now, in the minutes after the draw, Arsenal fans have been quick to point to one thing in particular. The dates of the ties.
It is as of yet unclear whether the games will be one or two legs, but they are to be played in the weeks commencing the 3rd and 10th January. This coincides with the Africa Cup of Nations, which means that Liverpool will be without their star duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, although the Gunners themselves will be without Thomas Partey.
This has led more than one Arsenal fan to be optimistic about the tie.
Arsenal v Liverpool in Carabao Cup semis. Not as bad as it sounds for Arsenal, if Klopp continues to rotate. Mané and Salah will be off to AFCON too. pic.twitter.com/K2FdCvVm6g
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) December 22, 2021
Liverpool play at Chelsea either two or three days before the semi, I’d expect Klopp to send out a pretty heavily rotated side (so will Arteta).
— Adam Rae Voge (@adamvoge) December 22, 2021
Arsenal vs. Liverpool in the semi-final of the league cup. The games take place during AFCON so they won’t be using Salah and Mané at least.
— Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) December 22, 2021
Not going to be easy at all but prefer Liverpool over Tottenham and Chelsea because they don’t take this competition as seriously. Chelsea have great depth and as for Tottenham, winning this trophy would be their first in 15 years so expecting them to highly motivated.
— LTArsenal™ (@ltarsenal) December 22, 2021
Salah & Mane both going to AFCON when Arsenal play Liverpool in the semis… hmmmm
— Bhavs (@bhavss14) December 22, 2021
Will Mikel Arteta lead Arsenal to another final?
