Liverpool Edges Arsenal in PKs After 10-Goal Carabao Cup Thriller
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Arsenal and Liverpool are no strangers to playing in some classic battles, but Wednesday's Carabao Cup last-16 clash didn't figure to be one of them.
The most notable item entering the match was Mesut Ozil being restored to Arsenal's lineup, as both sides opted for younger, largely second-choice squads as is customary in the competition.
Well, a game-of-the-season candidate broke out instead.
The two Premier League powers combined for 10 goals, with Arsenal blowing multiple leads and Liverpool winning in penalty kicks after an outrageous 5-5 draw at Anfield.
Liverpool prevailed in spot kicks, 5-4, after Dani Ceballos had his PK saved by Caoimhín Kelleher and Curtis Jones clinched the triumph with Liverpool's final kick.
Liverpool led after six minutes thanks to a Shkodran Mustafi own goal, but Arsenal surged back through Lucas Torreira and a pair of strikes from cup-competition wonder Gabriel Martinelli in the 26th and 36th minutes.
Liverpool pulled one back before halftime through James Milner's penalty kick, but Arsenal went ahead 4-2 when Ozil deftly set up Ainsley Maitland-Niles for a tap-in in the 54th minute.
Liverpool turned on the style for a pair of goals that pulled the Reds even, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's rocket from long distance followed by Divock Origi's clever turn and finish in the 58th and 62nd minutes.
Not to be outdone, though, was Joe Willock, with the 20-year-old midfielder lacing a long-range blast of his own to restore the lead at 5-4 with 20 minutes to go.
The lead didn't last. Origi found the back of the net in stoppage time with an acrobatic side volley, making it 5-5 and sending the match to penalty kicks.
Liverpool advances to the quarterfinals, joining Man City, Man United, Everton, Leicester City, Oxford United, Colchester United and Aston Villa.
