Liverpool Baptised

 

 

LIVERPOOL: Julio Baptista missed a penalty but still scored four goals as Arsenal booked a League Cup semi-final against north London rivals Spurs by destroying Liverpool 6-3 at Anfield on Tuesday.

 

Incredibly, Arsene Wenger’s mix of young and second-string players became the first team since Sunderland in 1930 to score six times at Anfield, while Baptista became the first visiting player to claim four goals at the famous stadium since the end of World War II.

 

Brazilian striker Baptista, who had failed to score a domestic goal for Arsenal since his loan move from Real Madrid in the summer, ended his drought in spectacular style as Wenger’s team claimed their second cup victory at Anfield in four days. Further, Gunners goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Alexandre Song completed a memorable win for Arsenal, with goals from Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia making the score slightly respectable for the home side.

 

Although Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had been set to field his youngsters in the original game, which was postponed due to heavy fog last month, Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup defeat against Arsenal at Anfield had left the League Cup as Liverpool’s most realistic route to silverware this season and he recalled the big guns for this game.

 

Liverpool’s hopes suffered a blow, however, when Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez was stretchered off on ten minutes with his right leg in a splint after falling badly following a challenge from Theo Walcott. And the home side’s nightmare start continued when Arsenal took the lead against the run of play with their first effort on goal on 27 minutes.

 

French striker Aliadiere sprung the offside trap to latch onto Kolo Toure’s long ball forward and an impeccable first touch by the 23-year-old allowed him to shoot goalwards.

 

His initial effort was blocked by Jerzy Dudek, but Aliadiere reacted instantly to slot the rebound into the net at The Kop End. It was harsh on Liverpool considering their dominance of possession, but Fowler managed to drag them level on 32 minutes when he beat keeper Manuel Almunia with a typical poacher’s goal from close range.

 

Almunia had palmed away Fabio Aurelio’s free-kick, but Garcia pounced on the rebound and his square ball was flicked into the net by Fowler at the near post.

 

Liverpool’s equaliser only sparked an incredible three-goal rout by Arsenal that left Wenger’s team 4-1 up by half-time. The Gunners regained the lead on 40 minutes thanks to a stunning free-kick by Baptista which left Dudek rooted to the spot from 30 yards.

 

A scrambled goal by Song from a corner made it 3-1 in first-half stoppage time before Baptista bagged his second when, looking suspiciously offside, he latched onto Aliadiere’s throughball before beating the helpless Dudek.

 

When referee Martin Atkinson awarded Arsenal a 56th minute penalty following Hyypia’s foul on Aliadiere, humiliation was seriously on the cards for Liverpool, but Dudek produced a brilliant save to keep out Baptista’s spot-kick. The powerful striker claimed his hat-trick four minutes later, though, when, after being fed superbly by Aliadiere, he beat Dudek with a low shot from 20 yards to score Arsenal’s fifth.

 

Liverpool were now facing their worst defeat since losing 5-1 at home to Preston North End in September 1953, but Gerrard ensured they avoided that unwanted feat by scoring perhaps the goal of the game with a volley from the edge of the penalty area on 68 minutes.

 

The goal hardly raised a cheer from The Kop, though, and Liverpool’s horror night was made even worse when Garcia was stretchered off in the closing stages with his leg in a splint, just like Gonzalez.

 

Hyypia gave the home fans faint hope of a remarkable comeback when he headed in to make 5-3 on 80 minutes, but Arsenal had the last word when Baptista hit his fourth after more good work by Aliadiere.