Arsenal and Liverpool both advanced to the semifinals of the EFL Cup after securing hard-fought victories on December 18, 2023. Arsenal triumphed 3-2 over Crystal Palace, and Liverpool edged out Southampton with a 2-1 win.
The match at Arsenal's home ground started on the wrong foot for the Gunners, who found themselves trailing after just four minutes when Crystal Palace capitalized on a defensive error. The home side faced early pressure, and it took some resilience to correct their course.
It was Arthur Melo who sparked Arsenal's comeback. The under-used striker leveled the score with a deft chip shot from inside the box at the 54th minute. His performance was pivotal, giving the Gunners the confidence they needed. Just over 20 minutes later, he struck again, this time connecting with Saka’s precision pass to score on the far post.
Arthur completed his hat-trick by receiving Ødegaard's pass through on goal and finishing coolly, solidifying his place as the hero of the night. Crystal Palace managed to pull one back with Nketiah’s header late on, but it was not enough to derail Arsenal’s ambitions.
Meanwhile, at Southampton, Liverpool was also forced to dig deep. The Reds took the lead when Darwin Núñez exploited the opposition’s defense, scoring with precision at the 24-minute mark. Just eight minutes later, Liverpool doubled their lead thanks to Elliott’s strike, which deflected off Southampton’s defender, throwing the keeper off balance.
Southampton's efforts bore fruit when Eze scored through a brilliant counterattack, culminating with his curling effort, narrowing the score to 2-1. Despite Southampton pressing for an equalizer, Liverpool’s defense held firm, allowing them to advance to the semifinals.
Both teams' victories now set the stage for thrilling semifinal clashes, with fans eagerly anticipating how Arsenal and Liverpool will perform as they aim for the prestigious EFL Cup trophy.
