Liverpool face Fulham at Anfield on Wednesday; Watch live on Sky Sports Football and follow the action across the Sky Sports website and app
Wednesday 10 January 2024 20:13, UK
Liverpool head into their semi-final clash with Fulham on Wednesday on the back of an FA Cup third-round win over Arsenal which highlighted the game-changing ability of their manager. It is Jurgen Klopp, as much as any player, who makes them favourites to lift this trophy.
Sunday's game was just the latest example of why. Liverpool rode their luck during a one-sided first half at the Emirates Stadium but it was thanks to Klopp that they were able to fight back and win it. He was proactive with his changes. Mikel Arteta could not keep up.
First, there were tactical adjustments at half-time, with Klopp instructing his side to bypass Arsenal's press by going direct. Alisson only made four long passes in the first half; in the second, he made 10. Suddenly, Liverpool were able to get at Arsenal.
Liverpool's improvement was immediate but Klopp did not stop there. Before the hour mark, with the game still poised at 0-0, he made a double substitution which saw Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch replace Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister.
Those changes allowed Klopp to move Darwin Nunez to the left, where he shone, and another double substitution followed as youngsters Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark replaced Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones. Arsenal were flummoxed. Soon, they were behind.
Arteta made changes of his own in response, but they were reactive, rather than proactive. While one manager was seizing the initiative, the other was losing his grip on the game. Klopp's gleeful celebrations showed the extent of his satisfaction.
Liverpool fans will hope to see more scenes of celebration when Fulham visit Anfield on Wednesday. You would not bet against them. More domestic cup success to match 2021/22's double looks likely. And that is thanks to Klopp as much as anyone else.
Nick Wright
When Marco Silva ended speculation about his future by committing to a new contract at Fulham in October, he said he wanted to create something special at the club. Ahead of their biggest game in over a decade, the work he is doing in west London demands respect.
A first-ever League Cup semi-final awaits. The test couldn't be much harder, with two legs against Liverpool, starting with a trip to Anfield on Wednesday night. But Fulham have shown a capacity to produce the unexpected this season.
Back-to-back 5-0 wins in December made everyone sit up. Victory over Arsenal at Craven Cottage on New Year's Eve underlined the quality in the group. Liverpool saw that first hand in the thrilling 4-3 when the sides met in the Premier League last month and a late Trent Alexander-Arnold cracker was required to maintain their winning run at home.
All that evidence suggests Fulham can cause Liverpool problems again. Disappointing defeats to Burnley and Bournemouth before that Arsenal win have hit their league position but in a season in which top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic left late in the summer window and key man Joao Palhinha has suffered with injuries, Silva's coaching has continued to impress.
Repeating Roy Hodgson's trick of taking Fulham to a major final would be a historic achievement.
Peter Smith
