Liverpool put a bad week behind them as they sealed a 3-1 win over Bournemouth in the Capital One Cup.
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Raheem Sterling’s first goals since mid-September helped Liverpool end a miserable seven days with a place in the semi-finals. The England winger had endured a 22-game goal drought for club and country until he set Liverpool on their way to a win with a close-range header.
Buzzing we’re in the semi finals!!! Well done to the lads and Raz for notching a couple. Also Lazar for scoring his first goal for LFC.
— Daniel Sturridge (@D_Sturridge) December 17, 2014
Lazar Markovic, fresh from his controversial red card as the Reds exited Europe, grabbed the second before a trademark Sterling run ended with his fifth of the season to put the smiles back on the faces of supporters after their Old Trafford defeat.
Dan Gosling, who memorably netted a cup winner to beat Liverpool in his Everton days, pulled a goal back and then rattled a post as the Championship leaders relinquished their 12-game unbeaten run.
And coach Brendan Rodgers had nothing but praise for Sterling, who, prior to this match, had not scored since September.
“He has got a wee bit of stick Raheem over the last while or so, which I find incredible,” Rodgers told Sky Sports. “He has been outstanding for us.
“Last season, he was a young kid at 18 or 19 years of age, playing up top with some world class players. This season, he hasn’t got that. This is the reality and a lot of focus has been on him.
“He has not scored the goals that maybe people expect of him, but that’s not what I expect. I expect him to create goals and score goals over the course of the season.
“You see him tonight in the strikers role and we want to see him getting between people and not get tackled. Spin in behind and his pace and dribbling ability is there to see.
“He is not an out-and-out striker but his speed in front of the back four and behind them causes problems and you’ve seen that with him here, he can get it, turn and go at defenders.
“He has been like that all season and been a real catalyst for us.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham obliterated Newcastle 4-0 as they stylishly secured their place in Capital One Cup semifinals.
Mauricio Pochettino’s start to life in north London has not been without its teething problems, yet Spurs fans are now beginning to see the performances they yearn for.
The recent improvements were evident at White Hart Lane on Wednesday evening, when Nabil Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli, Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado all scored in a 4-0 demolition of Newcastle.
It puts Spurs within a two-legged semi-final of Wembley and help made amends for October’s embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Alan Pardew’s men at White Hart Lane.
Great win Tonight!!! Happy to be in the semi-final! #4-0 #COYS #totnew
— Christian Eriksen (@ChrisEriksen8) December 17, 2014
Top performance tonight ! Through to the semi-finals! Minds focused onto Saturday now ! #COYS #CapitalOneCup
— Harry Kane (@hkane28) December 17, 2014
They certainly impressed in laying that ghost to rest, with Bentaleb capitalising on a mistake by Newcastle’s third-choice goalkeeper, Jak Alnwick, to turn home midway through the first half.
It was a lead doubled by Chadli seconds after half-time and, once Massadio Haidara cleared a Jan Vertonghen header off the line, Kane put the game out of sight.
It continued the England Under-21s international’s record of scoring in every round of this season’s competition and his replacement Soldado added extra gloss, slotting home from close range after Christian Eriksen’s initial effort was saved.
Liverpool’s latest win will see them face Chelsea in the two-legged semifinal encounter while Tottenham are set to face Sheffield United.
