Liverpool’s sensation Harvey Elliott expressed his relief as the Reds secured a spot in the EFL Cup final following their semi-final victory over Fulham on Wednesday, January 24.
Jürgen Klopp’s side, having already won the first leg 2-1 at Anfield, headed into the second leg at Craven Cottage as heavy favorites. Luis Diaz provided an early breakthrough, netting in the 11th minute. Despite Fulham’s comeback in the second half, leveling the scores through Issa Diop’s goal in the 76th minute, Liverpool managed to hold on to their aggregate lead, winning 3-2.
Reflecting on the victory, Elliott stated (via Liverpool’s official website):
“It’s just relief and excitement. It was a hard shift tonight against a great team. They caused us problems, but I think the lads dug very, very deep, and we defended as a team, and with the fans we fought to the last minute. So, just relief to get it over the line [and] to come away reaching a final, there’s no better feeling.”
He continued:
“The first goal and the last goal for us is vital. We came here not wanting to concede because we know what the fans are like. As soon as they got one goal, they were right behind them, and they were throughout the whole night, even when they were losing. We just needed to kind of silence them and keep digging deep, and I thought as a team and as a club we did that, so it’s a credit to us as a team and hopefully, now we can go to the final and do the job there.”
The Reds are set to face Chelsea in the EFL Cup final at Wembley on February 25.
How did Liverpool perform against Fulham in the EFL Cup semi-final?
Despite missing several key players, Liverpool demonstrated resilience to advance to the EFL Cup final. Examining the statistics from their second-leg clash against Fulham provides insight into their performance.
The match was closely contested, with both teams displaying determination. Liverpool managed slightly more possession, holding onto the ball 52 percent of the time. They made a total of 498 passes, with an accuracy rate of 81 percent. In contrast, Fulham had 48 percent possession and attempted 466 passes, completing 76 percent of them.
In terms of attacking opportunities, Liverpool registered 14 shots, five of which were on target. Fulham, on the other hand, recorded 11 shots, matching Liverpool’s five on-target attempts.
