Liverpool v Tottenham: Live matchday blog
Liverpool moved into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup after a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.
The manager's verdict
Read the thoughts of Jürgen Klopp by reading our transcript of his post-match press conference at Anfield by clicking here.
Klopp: “Kevin Stewart is the best challenger in the squad – in one on one situations he is really good. He is ugly to play against!”
Klopp: “Divock just had cramp, unfortunately. He was in a good moment and then [he got] cramp. Things like this happen.”
Klopp: “I made the line-up and then I saw it on paper and thought ‘oh, it’s still really good!’”
Klopp on Alexander-Arnold and Ejaria’s performances: “I was not really impressed – and that’s a good thing! I thought before the game it could work with them in the team.”
Klopp: “That is Daniel’s talent, his strength – he is a finisher, a really good striker. I have never been in doubt about him, even when he didn’t score. He was really good.”
Klopp: “I think when you see our chances and see the chances of Tottenham [we could have won by more]. The penalty was a game changer, but we had opportunities and chances – we could have scored three or four times.”
Here are all your match stats after a thrilling cup tie at Anfield, which Liverpool edged 2-1...
Full Time
That's it, it's all over and Liverpool are into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup after an entertaining 2-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Daniel Sturridge's double did the damage with a goal in each half from the striker, who also struck the crossbar.
Vincent Janssen's penalty set up a tense finish, but the Reds held out to move into the last eight.
Substitution
Kevin Wimmer goes into the book. Danny Ings again on the end of a late tackle.
Yellow Card
Harry Winks sees yellow for a late tackle on Danny Ings.
Four minutes of added time to be played...
Substitution
Liverpool's final change sees Emre Can come on for Marko Grujic.
Ings is denied a goal as his blast from Carter-Vickers' wayward attempted header back to Vorm is saved by the Spurs' custodian.
A let-off for Liverpool as Harrison fails to control a ball into the box that would have put him one-on-one with Mignolet 12 yards from goal.
At the other end, a Sturridge shot is saved by Vorm.
Yellow Card
Grujic is booked now for a pull on Wanyama.
Substitution
Spurs' last change - Harrison is on for Nkoudou.
Yellow Card
Danny Ings is shown a yellow after a challenge on Kevin Wimmer.
Wanyama powers his way into the Liverpool box and strikes low at goal, but Mignolet is able to save.
My word, how unlucky was that!?
Sturridge almost has his hat-trick but his outside-of-the-boot effort from the edge of the area crashes against the crossbar after beating Vorm.
Goal
Vincent Janssen makes no mistake from the spot to reduce Liverpool's lead. It's 2-1 at Anfield now.
Spurs are awarded a penalty after Lucas is adjudged to have upended Lamela inside the box.
Two chances fall Liverpool's way as Sturridge firstly unselfishly plays Ings in at the end of a counter-attack, but the striker can't get his effort away an a defender box.
Then, Vorm pulls off another save to repel a Wijnaldum free-kick.
Get in!
Sturridge has a whack from a free-kick on the edge of the Spurs box as he aims to complete his hat-trick. It's just a touch too high, however.
The now-substituted Divock Origi's name booms around Anfield once more. He's certainly impressed tonight.
Substitution
Liverpool make a double change - Danny Ings and Nathaniel Clyne are on for Divock Origi and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Spurs earlier introduced Victor Wanyama for Eric Dier.
Goal
GOAL! Daniel Sturridge!
What a lovely, lovely Liverpool goal.
Sturridge plays the ball into Origi on halfway. The Belgian spins his man and lays it off for Wijnaldum, who in turn spots Sturridge continuing his run forward.
A precise pass springs the offside trap and the No.15 goals through and finishes with aplomb.
Get in!
Substitution
Spurs make a change and Erik Lamela is on for Tom Carroll.
Divock Origi is playing like a man possessed in this second half. He picks the ball up 25 yards out and absolutely hammers an effort towards the top corner that requires a fine save from Vorm to keep it out.
Sturridge skips beyond Davies and into the area. He pulls it back for Wijanldum, but the Dutchman can't connect properly.
Sturridge is now tackled by Vorm after side-stepping a defender from Wijnaldum's pass. Liverpool coming closer to a second here.
Origi causing problems again for Spurs. This time he lays it off for Wijnaldum, whose close-range shot clatters into a defender.
Lovely play from Liverpool opens Spurs up as Lucas sends Origi scampering down the right. He delivers a low ball across goal for Sturridge, who gets his footing wrong and the ball deflects off him and away from goal.
Trippier smacks one towards Liverpool's goal from the edge of the box, but it's too high to trouble Mignolet.
Kick-Off
Liverpool get the game back underway at Anfield.
Here are all your first-half match stats...
Half Time
Liverpool hold the lead at the break thanks to Daniel Sturridge's effort with just nine minutes played of what's been an entertaining cup tie so far.
Grujic is inches away from extending Liverpool's lead as a break from the centre of the pitch results in Sturridge sliding the ball into the path of the No.16 inside the right channel of the area. The shot rolls just wide of the far post, however.
Two decent opportunities in quick succession for our visitors as firstly Mignolet is required to pull off a smart stop to thwart Janssen's half-volley after a free-kick had found its way to him at the back post before Lucas denies Nkoudou's seemingly goal-bound effort with a solid block.
Yellow Card
Trent Alexander-Arnold sees yellow after a late challenge on Ben Davies.
A chance for Spurs now as Janssen meets Trippier's free-kick to the back post, but he heads over the crossbar.
A brilliant chance for Sturridge goes begging. Origi motors down the right and into the box. He looks to have tried to have done too much as he runs into a couple of Spurs defenders, but somehow he prods the ball across the box to his unmarked strike partner.
Somewhat uncharacteristically, Sturridge scruffs his effort into the floor and it's an easy take for Vorm.
Just the start we wanted...
Sturridge threatens again as he tries one of those trademark curlers with his left foot from the right corner of the box. It needs a brilliant, full-stretch stop from Vorm to keep it out.
Goal
GOAL! Daniel Sturridge!
The Reds take an early lead at Anfield as Georges-Kevin Nkoudou's slip in a dangerous area is taken full advantage of.
Marko Grujic collects possession and speeds into the area. His ball from the right could well have been a shot, but nevertheless it rolls invitingly into the path of Daniel Sturridge, who beats Michel Vorm to it to stab into the roof of the net.
A great start for Liverpool.
The first shot of the game comes from Stewart against his former club after a rampaging run into the box from Alexander-Arnold, but he's off target as he strikes over the crossbar.
Remember, you can listen to live audio commentary direct from Anfield for free tonight by clicking here.
Kick-Off
Here we go, then. Spurs get us underway here at Anfield. Come on you Reds!
The teams are out and kick-off is just moments away...
Some snaps of the Reds arriving at Anfield earlier this evening...
The Reds have been out for their final warm-up...
Inside the LFC dressing room...
Here's the Liverpool squad in full…
Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Klavan, Lucas, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Wijnaldum, Grujic, Origi, Sturridge.
Substitutes: Karius, Clyne, Lovren, Can, Lallana, Mane, Ings.
TEAM NEWS
It's a competitive Liverpool debut for Trent Alexander-Arnold as the manager opts for wholesale changes to his starting line-up to face Spurs tonight.
If you are short on time and want a bite-size preview of tonight's game, look no further than our 90-second round-up below...
'We've played well, but this is very tough'
A chat with Emre Can features in the match programme tonight and the midfielder explains what Liverpool have to do to book a place in the quarter-finals...
"So far we have played very well in this competition and we have produced some good football in both of the two games, but now we face a difficult match against Spurs.
"It is a very tough draw and I think we are quite similar teams: Tottenham want to press and we want to press.
"We need to learn from the Premier League game we played against them earlier in the season and hopefully we can continue our progress through the competition and reach the next round."
Anfield awaits...
The floodlights are warming up and the final touches are being made ahead of kick-off.
Fact finding mission
Divock Origi has scored five goals in six games in the League Cup for Liverpool. If the Belgian finds the net tonight, he will be the first Reds player to score in the opening three games of a League Cup campaign since Robbie Fowler in 1996.
Why we love Lallana
Liverpool's No.20 made his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday as West Brom were beaten 2-1 at Anfield.
Ahead of a potential 101st outing for the Reds tonight, take a look at five reasons we rate him so highly with our free clip below.
'It’s no problem staying ready for when I’m called upon'
Ahead of tonight's game, we sat down with Kevin Stewart for a chat about his numerous cameos this season, ensuring he is constantly prepared for action, and Jürgen Klopp's use of Academy starlets.
Flashback
Liverpool last met Spurs in the League Cup way back in 2008, suffering a 4-2 defeat in the fourth round at White Hart Lane.
Here's a shot of Damien Plessis nodding in the Reds' first that night (the second was scored by Sami Hyypia).
And the opposition
As for Spurs, they'll be without injured trio Toby Alderweireld (leg), Harry Kane (ankle) and Marcus Edwards (ankle) this evening.
Moussa Sissoko will also miss out after picking up a suspension.
Team news
The latest on the Reds' selection for this evening, according to Jürgen Klopp, can be found below.
Captain's log
Speaking of which, we've also got the words of skipper Jordan Henderson from tonight's programme.
He is "gutted" not to be involved after picking up a one-match suspension.
This Is Anfield
If you'll be searching out the programme this evening to read more from the gaffer, this is what it looks like.
Programme notes
Jürgen Klopp wants to see plenty of focus from his LFC stars this evening as they look to avoid a momentum-denting defeat.
“We are in a good way and that is exactly how we view our situation – just as that – and to stay in this good way we must remain focused and must keep working hard and not get distracted," he wrote in This Is Anfield.
#MyLFCMatchdayImage
Another brilliant submission for tonight's game below.
If you're a talented designer, you can enter your own matchday posters for every game the Reds play by using the above hashtag on either Twitter or Instagram.
Hello and welcome to Liverpoolfc.com's live matchday blog for this evening's EFL Cup fourth-round meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Reds are targeting another trip to Wembley in February but must first get past a Spurs side who have yet to taste defeat in domestic competition thus far this term.
As usual, we'll have the best build-up, team news as soon as it lands, every kick from Anfield and all the reaction in our matchday blog. Stick with us to follow tonight's game!