Liverpool reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals as Arne Slot serves his suspension

Holders Liverpool booked their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Southampton at a wet and windy St Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott.

Their manager Arne Slot was not on the sidelines as he served a suspension for card accumulation this season.

Nunez, who had been pilloried by Saints fans earlier in the game for a wild miss, got on the scoresheet in the 24th minute when he pounced on a foul from the centre-back. Jan Bednarek and a drop by the keeper Alex McCarthy. Nunez put his finger to his lips in a gesture to the crowd after finishing past McCarthy.

Elliott doubled the Reds’ lead eight minutes later when he unleashed a low, hard shot from Cody Gakpo‘s passport. Cameron Archer pulled one back for the home side in the 59th minute with a curling shot from just inside the box.

“We came into this game knowing the circumstances that Southampton went through and knew they were going to come out and fight and we were ready for that,” Elliott told Sky Sports.

The game was a tale of teams at opposite ends of the Premier League table, with Liverpool at the top and Southampton – who sacked manager Russell Martin after Sunday’s 5-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur – bottom with just one win.

“We have to defend the trophy because the club won it last season, so we want to compete in every league and this is one of them, so we are happy that we reached the semi-finals,” said Slot, who saw the match from the press box.

Arsenal and Newcastle United also progressed to the semi-finals with the last place up for grabs on Thursday when Tottenham host Manchester United.