London: Daniel Sturridge sent Liverpool into the League Cup quarterfinals and gave his manager a reminder of his talents with two clinical goals Tuesday evening in a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
The England striker has struggled to convince Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp this season, but he was a livewire all night at Anfield where his double put the hosts in charge before Vincent Janssen pulled a goal back with a penalty for the visitors.
Klopp’s side were joined in the last eight by Arsenal, who eased past second-tier Reading 2-0 with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scoring twice, while Newcastle United romped to a 6-0 win over 10-man Preston North End and Hull City won 2-1 at Bristol City.
With no European football to occupy his squad this season, Liverpool manager Klopp raised a few eyebrows by making 11 changes to the side that beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 in the Premier League Saturday.
However, Liverpool, record eight times League Cup winners and last season’s beaten finalists, were ahead after nine minutes when Sturridge, who has started just two of their last six games in all competitions, showed predatory instincts to poke home when Marko Grujic’s shot deflected into his path.
“He (Sturridge) did what he has to do. It was brilliant, he could have scored three or four,” said Klopp, who regularly prefers Brazilian Roberto Firmino in attack in the Premier League. “Today he had the instincts of a poacher.”
Sturridge passed up two chances either side of half time, but he made amends by doubling Liverpool’s lead in the 64th minute. Georginio Wijnaldum played him through on goal and Sturridge squeezed his finish through Michael Vorm’s legs.
It had been smooth sailing for Liverpool until that point but Lucas Leiva nibbled the heels of Erik Lamela to concede a penalty, which Janssen slammed home with 14 minutes remaining.
Alberto Moreno was then lucky to avoid conceding a second spot-kick after tangling with Lamela again, but the match ended with Liverpool back on the front foot as Sturridge struck the crossbar and substitute Danny Ings had an effort saved by Vorm.
Arsenal, who are unbeaten in all competitions since the opening weekend of the Premier League season, were frustrated for large periods of the first half before Oxlade-Chamberlain put them ahead against Reading after 33 minutes. He doubled the lead with 12 minutes left when he drove a shot from distance that was deflected in off a Reading boot.
“It was a tough match for us,” said Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger. “It happens in these sort of games when lower tier clubs pack 9-10 men in defence. But we were never apprehensive, we knew goals would come finally and they did.”
Reuters
