IMAGE: Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus scores their second goal past Crystal Palace’s Dean. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters
Holders Liverpool booked their berth in the League Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Southampton at a wet and windy St Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott.
Gabriel Jesus bagged a second-half hat-trick as Arsenal came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 3-2, and Sandro Tonali scored twice to lead Newcastle to a 3-1 win over Brentford.
Nunez, who had been goaded by Saints fans earlier in the game for a wild miss, got on the scoresheet in the 24th minute, pouncing after a mis-kick by centre back Jan Bednarek and a slip by keeper Alex McCarthy. Nunez put his finger to his lips in a gesture to the crowd after finishing past McCarthy.
Elliott doubled the Reds’ lead eight minutes later when he unleashed a low, hard shot from Cody Gakpo’s pass. Cameron Archer pulled one back for the home side in the 59th minute with a curling shot from just inside the box.
“We came into this game knowing the circumstances that Southampton were going through and knew they were going to come out fighting and we were ready for it,” Elliott told Sky Sports.
The game was a tale of teams at opposite ends of the Premier League table, with Liverpool at the summit and Southampton — who sacked manager Russell Martin following Sunday’s 5-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur — in last place with just one win.
“We have to defend the trophy because the club won it last season, so we want to compete in every league and this is one of them, so we’re happy that we reached the semi-final,” said Reds manager Arne Slot, who watched the game from the press box while serving a touchline ban.
Palace had Arsenal reeling in the fourth minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta nudged aside Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior to latch onto a long ball and side-foot home.
But Arsenal thoroughly dominated the second half and Jesus equalised in the 54th minute when Martin Odegaard sent a beautiful through ball into the box and the Brazilian chipped the ball over Dean Henderson.
Jesus, who had scored just once this season before Wednesday, netted his second in the 73rd minute when Bukayo Saka slipped the ball through for him to hammer home. He completed his hat-trick eight minutes later when he ran onto a ball from Odegaard behind Palace’s back line before firing past Henderson.
“So pleased for (Jesus). It’s been a long period for him without goals,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told reporters. “To score the three types of goals and the many actions that he was involved in, it’s a great thing for the team that we can rely on a player with such quality.”
Eddie Nketiah pulled one back for Palace late on when he leapt high to head home past David Raya.
At St James’ Park, Tonali scored in the ninth minute when Nathan Collins’ attempted clearance fell at his feet and he unleashed a rocket from 20 yards out — his first goal since his return in late-August from a 10-month ban for breaching betting rules.
Tonali volleyed home Anthony Gordon’s cross from near the penalty spot just before the break for his second goal, and Newcastle tripled their lead when Bruno Guimaraes sent a pass across the goal for Fabian Schar to tap home in the 69th.
“It was great to see Sandro score the two that he did,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told the BBC. “Just a really good feeling about the group at the moment. We are building in confidence all the time.”
Yoane Wissa pulled one back for Brentford in injury time but the game was well out of reach by then.
The last semi-final place is up for grabs on Thursday when Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester United.
