London (AFP)
A Liverpool B-team released an Arsenal squad with 8 substitutes at the start, Wednesday in the round of 16 in the English League Cup after a crazy game (5-5, 5-4 on penalties) .
The match will have reminded all Gunners fans tonight of 2012 when Arsenal had won one of the wildest matches in its history and that of English football, winning 7 to 5 after being led 4-0 by Reading, but happy ending less.
The parallel was all the more tempting as the meeting in Liverpool was played seven years later on the same day in the fourth round of the League Cup and with the same goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, in the cages.
The two coaches had decided to make a big turn, Jürgen Klopp lining 11 substitutes against 8 for Emery. But if some blunders are to be met, the reservists delivered in good show.
Emery had notably released Mesut Özil from the cupboard, as well as his compatriot from the defense, Shkodran Mustafi, but also the Brazilian pearl Gabriel Martinelli.
If the German stopper was the unfortunate hero of the start of the game by opening the score against his side in the 6th minute, Özil showed nice things for an hour and Martinelli scored twice (26, 36).
But that was not enough to make thirsty Reds go down this season.
Back at 4-4 after being led 3-1 and 4-2 early in the second period, they equalized at the end of the additional time to 5-5 to eventually win on penalties.
This is only the second time Liverpool has taken five goals in his home at Anfield in the last 66 years.
The only precedent was a 6-3 loss in January 2007. Against Arsenal. In League Cup.
Tuesday night, Manchester City, Leicester and Everton in the Premier League, but also Oxford United (D3) and Colchester (D4) pocketed their ticket for the shifts that will take place on December 17 and 18.
© 2019 AFP