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.

Follow all the action from Anfield with our live blog below:

Liverpool vs Tottenham LIVE

• Liverpool host Tottenham in the Premier League with kick off at 8pm | Live on Sky Sports Main Event

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

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

• The Reds trail 1-0 on aggregate after losing first leg in London

• Spurs chasing cup glory after Premier League struggles but face tricky task at Anfield

Liverpool FC – Tottenham Hotspur FC

Liverpool’s Conor Bradley speaking to Sky Sports:

19:27 , Mike Jones

“Disappointed to get beat 1-0 [in the first leg] and we need to ready for tonight. Hopefully, we can work hard and get a result to go with it.

“We need to be better with the ball. At Tottenham, we didn’t keep the ball that well, but hopefully we can overturn that 1-0 deficit.”

Spurs’ 17 year wait

19:25 , Mike Jones

Tottenham are bidding to win their first trophy since the 2008 League Cup when they beat Chelsea 2-1.

That is their only silverware since Daniel Levy took over the club in 2001.

Can they win a trophy this season?

A strong record for Liverpool

19:20 , Mike Jones

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last nine home games in the League Cup (four wins, five draws), winning the last four in a row by an aggregate score of 15-4.

The Reds have also lost just one of their last 27 home games against Tottenham (won 19, drawn seven), and are unbeaten in 14 (won 10, drawn four) since a 2-0 loss in May 2011.

‘A huge night for Tottenham’

19:19 , Richard Jolly at Anfield

“A huge night for Tottenham, and perhaps not quite as big a one for Liverpool, given that they have won many a trophy since Spurs’ last one in 2008.

“There is some surprise Ange Postecoglou has omitted Pedro Porro, though rather less than Kevin Danso is parachuted straight in for a debut.

“He will be up against Darwin Nunez, who doesn’t often begin the bigger games but has got the nod from Arne Slot tonight.”

Back-to-back-to-back?

19:15 , Mike Jones

Tottenham come into the game on the back of wins over Elfsborg and Brentford, having only won three of the previous 10 games.

Can Postecoglou lead his team to three successive victories in a row?

Semi-final maestros

19:10 , Mike Jones

This is the Liverpool’s 20th appearance in the final four of the League Cup, only once previously losing both legs of a semi-final (versus Southampton in 2016-17).

Since that two-legged defeat by Saints, Liverpool have progressed from each of their last six major cup competition semi-finals.

Tottenham line-up versus Liverpool

19:03 , Mike Jones

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

Liverpool team to face Spurs

19:01 , Mike Jones

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

Slot’s motivation to win Carabao Cup semi-final

18:55 , Mike Jones

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.”

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

18:50 , Mike Jones

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

Will history repeat itself again for Liverpool?

18:45 , Mike Jones

Liverpool have progressed to the final on two of the last three occasions they’ve lost the first leg of a League Cup semi-final, doing so against Crystal Palace in 2000-01 and Sheffield United in 2002-03.

How will Spurs cope?

18:40 , Mike Jones

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.”

Postecoglou on Mathys Tel’s future

18:35 , Mike Jones

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.”

Ange Postecoglou confirms Tottenham’s Mathys Tel stance: ‘I didn’t bring him here for six months’

18:30 , Mike Jones

Ange Postecoglou has insisted Mathys Tel will be a Tottenham player next season.

Spurs pulled off an eye-catching deadline day move when they brought in Bayern Munich forward Tel on a six-month loan.

The deal includes the option for Tottenham to make the move permanent for a fee of 55million euros (45.8m) plus 5m euros (£4.1m) in add-ons and, while Tel has a say in that clause, the PA news agency understands he has already agreed a six-year contract which highlights his willingness to stay long-term.

Postecoglou confirms Tottenham’s Tel stance: ‘I didn’t bring him here for six months’

Is preparing for a semi-final a different process?

18:25 , Mike Jones

“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. “

Slot on the long gap between legs

18:20 , Mike Jones

The first leg of this semi-final tie was played a month ago and Arne Slot spoke about how playing the second leg immediately afterwards would have been more beneficial to his team.

He said: “Not that it matters a lot, but if you play one week later you face exactly the same team and with all the injuries Tottenham had last time it would have been a bit more in our advantage – although we lost against the ones that were fit that time.

“If you reach the semi-final against Tottenham you know it is going to be a difficult one – but I think we will be better than the last time.”

Slot on the transfer window

18:15 , Mike Jones

The Liverpool boss said: “I’ve said it many times, we have a very good squad and if you look at the league table I think the players have shown that the trust we have in them was correct and – apart from Trent [Alexander-Arnold] now maybe for a few days – we don’t have many injuries, not long-term injuries, in moments that the window is open.

“So, we did have some injury problems with Alisson [Becker], with [Diogo] Jota and with some others. But at the moment I think – apart from Trent – they are all available again today, so there’s not a reason to add something to the team unless you have a chance in the market.

“That’s something we saw last time with the goalkeeper we brought in, [who] is not here but we did bring him in because we saw that as a chance in the market. But for now we are happy with the team we have.”

Liverpool’s transfer patience is smart but one key position requires attention soon

18:10 , Mike Jones

Many a manager has been heard saying he needs more players. There is a case for saying Arne Slot already has too many. He had to omit Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa from his matchday squad for Saturday’s win at Bournemouth, leaving him lamenting the fact he is only allowed to name nine substitutes for domestic games and calling for an increase to 12.

Liverpool are the instant, eloquent rebuttal to suggestions that clubs forever need to buy. Slot has a simple explanation for their inactivity in January and their quiet summer last year. “Maybe there are not many managers who have such a good squad as I have,” he smiled.

Liverpool’s transfer patience is smart but one key position requires attention soon

Will Postecoglou change his style of play?

18:06 , Mike Jones

Ange Postecoglou has been adamant that he does not want to adapt his style of play and that he wants Spurs to be aggressive and on the front foot.

Yet, over the last few matches his team have played deeper and have been more defensively solid which could indicate how they’ll play tonight.

When asked if he has changed his philosophy, Postecoglou replied: “It depends, it’s whether you want to pay attention.

“It depends what you think that philosophy is. My philosophy to try to win games of football.

“We’re going to try to win a game of football tomorrow night, which will get us to the final of a cup, which will be a great opportunity for us.

“If people haven’t understood my philosophy after 26 years of management, then I don’t think anything I say now is going to change any of that.”

Why did Tel move to Tottenham?

18:00 , Mike Jones

Ange Postecoglou tried to play down the expectation on new forward Mathys Tel and explained a bit more about how his move to Spurs came about.

“People need to understand that you are talking about a 19-year-old player who has to make a major decision about his career. It’s not so much that he rejected us or anyone else,” Postecoglou said.

“Rightly so, he was getting as much information as possible. More than anything, I think he just wanted to be comfortable with the decision. The sense I get was he didn’t want to be pushed in a certain direction.

“I think it is credit to him that he took his time and spoke to the right people. I had a conversation with him and mine was purely about football. I think he will find a really great place for him in terms of where he is in his career. He obviously wants to play and we have already shown that, irrespective of age, you will get an opportunity here.

“And I think the way we play would suit him and certainly with what we have in the next few months and more importantly what we are building beyond I thought it would be a perfect fit for his next step.

“At the same time, I think it was right to take as long as he did and he was totally comfortable with it.”

‘Losing Radu was a big blow’

17:55 , Mike Jones

Ange Postecoglou says that new defensive signing Kevin Danso will play at some point tonight due to the fact Radu Dragusin is injured

The Spurs boss said: “He will play. Whether he starts or not we will take a look because we have another game three days later and that has been our existence for quite a while now.

“You are right, Ben [Davies], Archie [Gray], Pedro [Porro] has played every minute of football we have had for the last three months, but the boys are handling it okay and the performances are still stacking up.

“It’s great to get Kevin in. He is ready to play. Whether he starts or he comes on we will make a decision. It’s really important he is part of it now because losing Radu was a massive blow so having him available is good.”

Mathys Tel could be thrown straight into Liverpool v Tottenham. This is what he’ll bring

17:50 , Mike Jones

Last season the Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel used Mathys Tel almost exclusively as an impact substitute, a player who could be charged up and sent on to give the game a jolt.

Tel racked up three goals and one assist off the bench in Bayern’s first five league games, but he was made to wait until March for his first Bundesliga start.

When the day finally came, away at Freiburg, he scored an eye-catching goal which fizzed through the air and dipped into the far corner, and yet he was back on the bench the following weekend.

What Mathys Tel will bring to Tottenham against Liverpool

Spurs taking it easy with Romero and Van de Ven

17:45 , Mike Jones

Ange Postecoglou has been juggling injuries in his defensive line all season.

Radu Dragusin is the latest defender to pick up a knock and as such the manager doesn’t want to rush back those players come to the end of their recovery periods.

“With Micky [van de Ven] and [Cristian] Romero to a certain extent, I feel we have to be a bit more conservative with them,” said Postecoglou.

“Micky got through the [Europa League] game alright but I don’t think he feels ready for that step up to the Premier League, the intensity of it. Same with Romero.

“I made the decision that I don’t want to risk losing these guys.”

Danso to make debut

17:41 , Mike Jones

Ange Postevcoglou will hand an FA Cup debut to Kevin Danso who joined the club during the January Transfer Window.

“In terms of availability from last week, everyone is fine and got through OK – so no issues there,” said boss Postecoglou.

“Kevin [Danso] and Mathys [Tel] are both available. They have trained and are cleared to play so they are all good.”

Postecoglou added Danso will definitely play in the game due to the club’s defensive problems.

Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold

17:35 , Mike Jones

Liverpool’s No.1 right back is missing tonight’s match and here’s the manager explaining why.

Of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Arne Slot said: “We have to see whether he is able to play on Sunday, but what we do know is that he is not available for tomorrow.

“He left the pitch with a bit of pain in his leg but he’s already on the [training] pitch, not with the team but with the rehab coach, so let’s see how long it is going to take.”

Ignore the controversy, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham have made one thing clear

17:30 , Mike Jones

It’s a bit premature to say this was a night when Tottenham’s young team came of age, but this 1-0 victory over Liverpool was an impressive show of maturity when they most needed it.

An 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall appropriately settled it, crowning the fine work of fellow teenager Archie Gray. Ange Postecoglou couldn’t be more effusive afterwards, and that’s understandable. It might well save Tottenham’s season, just as Liverpool’s has a slight sense of lag.

The Premier League leaders were still very energised about the controversial Bergvall goal that won this Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, with complaints that the goalscorer should have had a second booking, eventually seeing Arne Slot unusually lose his cool.

Ignore the controversy, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham have made one thing clear

Liverpool vs Tottenham prediction

17:30 , Mike Jones

A lot will depend on the starting elevens fielded by each manager, but the home advantage and superior quality should eventually tell for Liverpool against an injury-hit Spurs.

Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham (Reds progress 3-2 on aggregate)

Spurs early team news

17:25 , Mike Jones

Spurs have no new injury concerns after their win on Sunday, but they are still in the midst of a crisis, with Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Destiny Udogie and Guigliemo Vicario all out for at least a couple more weeks.

Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson and Radu Dragusin are also out, while Micky van de Ven could make his return after missing the Brentford game, though Postecoglou said that he may need “another week of training to be ready in another week”.

Postecoglou will also hope winter signing Kevin Danso will be registered in time to play, and he could potentially make his debut.

Predicted Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Danso, Spence; Bissouma, Bentancur; Moore, Kulusevski, Son; Richarlison.

Liverpool early team news

17:20 , Mike Jones

For the hosts, the only new injury concern after their 2-0 win at the weekend is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was forced off in that match and is a doubt for midweek.

Joe Gomez will likely remain sidelined after his hamstring injury, while Federico Chiesa could return to the squad after not being picked last week.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz.

What TV channel is it on?

17:15 , Mike Jones

This fixture will be shown free-to-air on ITV 1 in the UK, with subscribers also able to watch online via ITVX. Coverage begins at 7.30pm.

For Sky customers, it will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football, with coverage getting underway at 7pm.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

When is Liverpool vs Tottenham?

17:10 , Mike Jones

The Carabao Cup semi-final fixture will kick off at 8pm GMT on Thursday, 6 February.

Liverpool vs Tottenham

17:05 , Mike Jones

Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie tonight, with the Reds needing to overturn a one-goal deficit if they’re to make a second consecutive final.

Despite leading the Premier League, Arne Slot’s side slipped to a 1-0 loss in the capital last month, leaving them with plenty to do at Anfield.

Nevertheless, Liverpool head into the game as favourites to make the March final, having won four of their last five in all competitions.

Things could hardly be going any differently for Spurs, whose victory at Brentford at the weekend was their first win in their last five league games.

But Ange Postecoglou will know that he’s within touching distance of a first final if he can conjure up a famous night on Merseyside.

Good evening!

Tuesday 4 February 2025 13:11 , Mike Jones

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Carabao Cup action.

Liverpool host Tottenham in the semi-final and hope to overturn a one goal deficit to secure a spot in next month’s final at Wembley.

Lucas Bergvall’s goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the only difference between the teams and Ange Postecoglou’s men will have a tough job keeping the Reds quiet away from home.

We’ll have all the updates, line-ups and match action throughout the evening so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 8pm.