Nunez and Elliott goals prove enough as Liverpool reach Carabao Cup semi-final

BEST ON SHOW: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game. Pic: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

Carabao Cup quarter-final: Southampton 1 Liverpool 2

Arne Slot is inching closer to his first trophy as Liverpool manager as his much-changed side booked their place in the last four of the League Cup at the expense of Southampton.

First-half goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott proved enough in the end, though the Saints were much improved in the second half after Cameron Archer’s goal had given them hope.

Slot made eight changes but Trent Alexander-Arnold was one of those to retain his place and was given the captain’s armband on his 300th start for the club. 

This was, in many ways, a further demonstration of his pragmatism: picking a team just about strong enough to win whilst being able to name his strongest 11 for the trip to Spurs on Sunday.

It was top versus bottom, with managerless Saints 31 points worse off than Liverpool but, last month it took a late brace from Mo Salah to see Slot’s side get the better of a spirited Southampton.

Under 21s manager Simon Rusk was in interim charge this time, following the sacking of Russell Martin immediately after the 0-5 home defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, with the club’s owners hopeful of finding a long-term replacement in the coming days.

Slot watched his much-changed 11 from the stands as he served a touchline ban after accumulating three cautions since the start of the season.

It wasn’t much of a spectacle in the early stages, with his team struggling to find any rhythm amid the swirling wind and rain on the South Coast.

He did hand a full debut to 17-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni with Tyler Morton playing alongside him in the double pivot.

All Liverpool had to show for their early efforts was a Darwin Nunez shot which sailed high over the crossbar, whilst Southampton’s most promising break ended with Tyler Dibling cutting inside and shooting tamely at Caoimhín Kelleher.

Liverpool led midway through the first half when Alexander Arnold’s pass was deflected into the path of Nunez by Jan Bednarek and the Uruguayan finished coolly past Alex McCarthy who slipped as he was retreating.

Southampton are desperately short of both belief and quality and Slot’s side were soon carving through them again with little resistance.

An exchange of passes between Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo saw the former play in Harvey Elliott to finish low into the corner from 10 yards out to put Liverpool in total control.

Mac Allister almost had a third a few minutes later after being picked out by Alexander-Arnold. This time McCarthy dived low to his left to turn the shot behind.

So comfortable was Slot that he was able to take off Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez at halftime, in preparation for Sunday’s trip to the capital.

Wataru Endo showed his versatility, dropping into central defence and taking over the armband from Alexander-Arnold.

The atmosphere resembled a training ground exercise more than it did a cup quarter-final until Cameron Archer scored a wonderful goal for Southampton to awaken St Mary’s from its slumber.

The ball had ricocheted into Archer’s path off Endo’s face but the former Villa man still had plenty of work to do. He drove at the penalty area, cut inside Morton, and curled decisively into the far corner.

Finally, Southampton had a little belief and only a brilliant save from Kelleher prevented Archer equalising moments later as he got a toe-end to Yukinari Sugawara’s cross.

Slot had brought on Jota and Federico Chiesa to beef up his attacking options and the pair of them almost created a third, only for Taylor Harwood-Bellis to clear the Italian’s effort off the goal line.

6”7 striker Paul Onuachu came off the bench for Southampton to provide further uncertainty for Liverpool’s makeshift back four. 

The Nigerian was presented with a great chance by fellow substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana but the ball got caught up in his trailing leg as he attempted to connect with the cross.

There was a nervy moment for Slot as Southampton screamed for a penalty when Jarrel Quansah tangled with the impressive Matheus Fernandes after a long clearance upfield. 

But Simon Hooper waved away the protests and Liverpool were in the hat.

Southampton (5-4-1): McCarthy 6; Bree 6 (Sugawara 60, 6), Harwood-Bellis 7, Bednarek 6 (Brereton Diaz 84, 6), Wood 6, Manning 6; Dibling 6, Aribo 6 (Lallana 84, 6), Downes 5 (Sulemana 73, 6), Fernandes 7; Archer 7 (Onuachu 73, 6).

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher 7; Alexander-Arnold 7 (Chiesa 45, 6), Quansah 6, Endo 7, Gomez 7 (Tsimikas 45, 6); Nyoni 6 (Danns 6, 86), Morton 6; Elliott 7, Mac Allister 6 (McConnell 63, 6), Gakpo 7 (Jota 63, 7); Nunez 7.

Referee: Simon Hooper