The first legs of the EFL Cup semi-finals delivered intense battles, setting the stage for dramatic second-leg clashes.
Newcastle United, yet in their formidable form, left Arsenal with a mountain to climb having secured a crucial 2-0 victory at the Emirates thanks to goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur edged out Liverpool 1-0 in a fiercely contested match. Lucas Bergvall’s late strike proved decisive, but the game wasn’t without controversy.
Bergvall, who narrowly avoided a second yellow card, scored a couple of minutes later, with his victim, Kostantinos Tsimikas still receiving treatment on the sidelines, adding fuel to Liverpool’s frustration.
As the second legs loom in a few weeks time, all eyes will be on how the duo of Liverpool and Arsenal respond to the pressure. Can both mount comebacks, or will Newcastle and Spurs secure their spots in the final?
With stakes high and margins slim, another thrilling match ups are expected when Arsenal and Liverpool set out for their respective games again, in the last four of the EFL Cup this season.
With the first legs completed, here are the ten take aways from the games.
EFL Cup semis: 10 things we learn from first leg semi-finals, featuring Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur
1. Clinical Newcastle United and Arsenal the opposite
Newcastle United have a massive advantage ahead of the return leg at home thanks to an assuring 2-0 win in the Emirates, their first win in the stadium since November 2010.
2-0 looks like a convincing win, but that was not the case in the game. Arsenal dominated and was dangerous throughout. But it was Newcastle United and Alexander Isak who had the most enjoyable night
Despite creating an expected goal of 1.22 compared to Arsenal’s 3.09, lightening struck twice and each time in their favour, leaving their host to rue misses from their six big chances.
2. Tottenham’s first clean sheet against Liverpool in more than nine years
An inspired performance from young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky saw Tottenham record their first clean sheet against Liverpool since October 2015.
Prior to last night, Spurs have conceded in each of their 20 meetings with Liverpool across all competitions, but the 21-year-old signed earlier this week from Slavia Prague, repelled all the Premier League leaders threw at him.
Kinsky made six saves and becomes only the second goalkeeper to prevent Arne Slot’s charge from scoring this season, after Matz Sels of Nottingham Forest in September.
3. Arsenal and Liverpool suffer first home and away losses
Heading into the Carabao Cup Semi-final first leg fixtures, Arsenal hadn’t lost at home while Liverpool hadn’t lost away this season.
Additionally, they both head in as favorites in their respective fixtures but ended up suffering their first loss at home and away respectively, as Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur established for themselves the advantage ahead of the reverse fixtures.
4. Ange Postecoglou well poised for his second year trophy run
It is never going to be easy, given Tottenham’s history and current form, but after a determined 90 minute against unarguably the best team in Europe this season, Lilywhites can dream it.
Ange has always won a title in his second season at every club he has managed, and having led Spurs to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup this year, the result of the first-leg suggests he might have the chance to end the club’s trophy drought.
Spurs will take a 1-0 lead to Anfield for the return leg next month, though they remain the underdog in this tie, but having an advantage makes things easier.
5. More worries for Tottenham Hotspur
It is not getting any easy for the North Londoners, who have been hit with series of injuries this season. As they celebrated their win last night, their minds are divided with the severity of Rodrigo Bentancur’s injury still to be known.
The Uruguayan midfielder was taken off very early after an awkward landing from a Tottenham corner inside the opening ten minutes. He has however confirmed he is doing fine but may still spend time out.
Spurs already have a quantifiable names on the sidelines. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie and others are still out. James Maddison and Pape Sarr also missed out last night.
6. Early worry for Arne Slot as unbeaten run ends
Liverpool’s 22 game unbeaten run came to an end in the loss to Spurs, leaving the Merseyside club without a win from two games so far in 2025.
In that period, they’ve come up against two struggling teams, the first being a 2-2 draw with Manchester United, who was on a run of four straight defeats and had not score in a Premier League game in Anfield since December 2018, and now a 1-0 loss to an injury hit Spurs.
Arne Slot will have some thinking to do ahead of their next Premier League game at Nottingham Forest, if they are to sustain the momentum they’ve created since the start of the season.
7. Arsenal have to worry
Whilst they remain six points behind Liverpool in the league, Arsenal’s inconsistency in front of goal leaves so much to be desired since the injury to Bukayo Saka.
Failure to win in back-to-back games has surely put a dent on their building momentum, and the upcoming fixtures aren’t any easy.
Mikel Arteta’s charge created six big chances and failed to convert any, with Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz guilty of not converting clear cut chances.
The transfer window remains open and an opportunity for the club to improve their attack. However, history suggests they will again pass the chance, leaving further question mark about their ambition.
8. Officiating inconsistency
Liverpool will surely feel hard done by referee Stuart Attwell, who choose not to send off Lucas Bergvall for a second yellow card, after Tottenham match-winner committed a foul bookable for two reasons.
The Swede lounged in on Tsimikas while Liverpool counter. He caught the defender and didn’t get the ball, but the referee was probably making up for the poor decision to book Bergvall for the first challenge, where he didn’t catch Luis Diaz.
Nonetheless, that is no excuse, and Liverpool was left even frustrated after Bergvall went on to score the winning goal few minutes later, with the medics still attending Tsimikas’ injury on the sidelines.
9. Lucas Bergvall will become big for Spurs
Last night’s winner was his first goal in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt, making him the second youngest goalscorer for the club in the competition since Gareth Bale in September 2007.
Bergvall was excellent on the night, as he had been at the club in recent games, after struggling to get on upon his arrival in the summer.
Understandable that the club’s inconsistencies has also impacted his performance, while the form of Pape Sarr so far had limited his involvement.
Still only 18, the time is slowly arriving for him and with a performance like that against Liverpool, Ange will have some thinking to do about leaving him on the bench in the future.
10. Reverse fixtures are well poised
Arsenal and Liverpool, the two losing teams from the first legs were the dominant sides, but lacked the clinical finishings to complement their created chances.
Liverpool, who will be playing at home in the return leg do have a bigger advantage than Arsenal, who will be traveling to the Saint James’ Park, where they haven’t won in their last two visits.
Nonetheless, Newcastle and Spurs will also be keen on holding on to their advantages, making the quest for places in the final a battle miles from decided.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
