Liverpool player ratings: 0-1 (6-5) Stoke City
By Ethan Lowe
Liverpool are through to the final of the Capital One Cup against Everton or Manchester City!
Jurgen Klopp’s first season as manager and Liverpool are already off to an outstanding start! In a woeful performance at home in the second leg of the semi-finals, Liverpool were more than lucky to see the game to penalties – which they managed to win.
As a fan, I’ve never been as nervous watching a game in my entire life. The idea that at any moment Stoke could add to their one-nil lead and condemn Liverpool to needing two goals to get back ahead. The reds managed it, surprisingly, having looked the worse side throughout. It seems we used all our goalscoring abilities against Norwich as we struggled to create chances and didn’t really look like scoring.
Just before half-time, Marko Arnautovic tapped in a clearly offside goal, making the aggregate result tied by a single away goal to either side. The game then went on to see a better, but not great, second half from Liverpool, and a dull period of extra time, before the game finally reached penalties. Liverpool won here despite being dubbed the weaker and less favourable side by the commentators.
Some crucial saves by Simon Mignolet, and a final, match-winning penalty from who else but Joe Allen, saw Liverpool earn their first trip to Wembley with Jurgen Klopp. I’m praying for a Merseyside derby final, but I think Klopp can figure out Manchester City well enough to bag us a win against them too. I’m dreaming about that trophy already!
Here’s Rush the Kop’s player ratings for the second leg fixutre against Stoke City.
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