Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the EFL Cup third round on Tuesday, piling further pressure on Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi after another disappointing performance from the London side.
Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai scored for Liverpool, while Conor Gallagher’s late goal offered Tottenham little consolation as they suffered another defeat in a difficult start to the campaign.
Tottenham have now won only one of their six competitive matches this season, with their sole victory coming against lower-league Charlton Athletic. The result leaves De Zerbi facing growing uncertainty over his position just weeks into the campaign.
Mac Allister gives Liverpool control
Liverpool took the lead after 20 minutes when Mac Allister capitalised on a loose clearance on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area and produced an excellent finish into the top corner.
The goal was the Argentine midfielder’s second in his last three appearances and gave Liverpool the platform to control the tie.
The hosts had entered the match looking to respond after being held to a disappointing draw by Fulham at the weekend. Their performance against Tottenham provided a more convincing response as they took control of the cup tie.
Gakpo extends Liverpool’s advantage
Liverpool doubled their lead after the interval when Gakpo finished clinically with his right foot, leaving Tottenham with a difficult task of finding a route back into the match.
Tottenham eventually reduced the deficit through Gallagher, who reacted to a corner after a mistake by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. It was Tottenham’s first goal of the season against a Premier League opponent, but the breakthrough came with only 20 minutes remaining.
De Zerbi’s side struggled to create sustained pressure after Gallagher’s goal and relied largely on set-piece situations for their most threatening moments.
Tottenham’s clearest opportunity to level the contest was denied by Mamardashvili, who recovered from his earlier error with an impressive save to prevent the visitors from completing a comeback.
Szoboszlai seals Liverpool victory
With Tottenham pushing forward in stoppage time in search of an equaliser and a potential penalty shootout, Szoboszlai ended their hopes in spectacular fashion.
The midfielder met a clearance around 30 yards from goal and sent a powerful volley into the net to make it 3-1 and secure Liverpool’s progression to the last 16.
For Tottenham, the defeat adds to a difficult opening to the season. They sit 17th in the Premier League after four league matches and have struggled for goals against top-flight opposition.
The pressure on De Zerbi is likely to intensify ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League meeting with Aston Villa this weekend. Having invested more than £350 million during the summer transfer window, the club will now be looking for a significant improvement in results.
Liverpool, meanwhile, move into the next round of the EFL Cup with a victory that restores some momentum after their weekend draw. Their attention now turns back to the Premier League as they look to build on a strong cup performance.
