FOUR of England’s biggest clubs have reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after quarter-final victories on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all progressed to join Arsenal in the competition’s last four stage, after the Gunners secured their own spot on Tuesday night.
Liverpool scored in injury time to draw 3-3 with Leicester City at Anfield before proceeding to win 5-4 on penalties.
Leicester City, who had Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi as an emergency centre-back and Kelechi Iheanacho as a late substitute, took a 3-1 lead into the latter stages of the second half but could not withstand Liverpool’s relentless pressure.
Jamie Vardy scored twice and James Maddison added a third for the Foxes, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino were on target for Liverpool.
Iheanacho scored his penalty during the shootout but Luke Thomas and Ryan Bertrand missed for Leicester City.
The win set up a semi-final tie between Liverpool and Arsenal, who overran Sunderland 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Chelsea laboured to a 2-0 win at Brentford to reach the semi-finals, advancing courtesy of an own goal and a Jorginho penalty late in the second half.
They will face Tottenham Hotspur, who defeated West Ham 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The first legs of the semi-finals are scheduled for 5 January and the return legs a week later.
