The final quarter-final clash of the EFL Cup unfolds at Liverpool’s Anfield on Wednesday night, featuring a Premier League Carabao Cup showdown between the Reds and the mighty Irons.
Carabao Cup showdown
Jurgen Klopp’s squad has triumphed over Bournemouth and Leicester City to reach this stage, while West Ham surprised Arsenal in the fourth round following a potential banana skin against third tier Lincoln City.
Despite West Ham’s success in the Europa Conference League, they missed out on a spot in the current Club World Cup, reserved for Champions League winners Manchester City. Which incidentally looks like another waste of time – an excuse for more air miles and potential injuries. Who thinks these things up?
Anyway, it does not matter as David Moyes‘s team is just 270 minutes away from potentially adding another trophy to their collection.
Moyes, facing a likely unfriendly reception due to his Everton ties, recently guided West Ham to the Europa League last 16, coincidentally alongside Liverpool. A 2-0 victory over Freiburg showcased their European prowess, and the subsequent win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday marked redemption from their earlier 5-0 defeat to Fulham.
Lucas Paqueta, joining Roberto Firmino as the second Brazilian to create three goals in a single Premier League game, provided two first-half assists for Mohammed Kudus and set up Jarrod Bowen. This comprehensive victory over the weekend added to their momentum.
West Ham’s journey in the EFL Cup saw them stun Arsenal in the fourth round after a narrow victory against Lincoln City. However, they need to overcome a quarter-final curse, having lost their last three quarter-final ties since the 2013-14 edition when they reached the semis but suffered a 9-0 aggregate defeat to Manchester City. A 3-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in September marked their fourth consecutive defeat against the Reds.
We go into this game in a confident mood and who knows, a scrappy 1-0 win with Vladamir Coufal scoring his first goal for the club?
COYI !