The Gunners and Blues will host the first leg, Jan. 4-5, with the comeback a week later.

The Gunners had qualified on Tuesday by unceremoniously leaving the Petit Poucet of the test, Sunderland (5-1) and two other quarter-finals were derbies from the English capital.

The one between Tottenham, 7th in the Premier League, with 3 games less, and West Ham, 5th with 1 game to go, was the tightest on paper and it was very lively.

The Spurs have again demonstrated how the arrival of Antonio Conte transfigured the team, even if the Hammers gave them a hard time, forcing Hugo Lloris to intervene in front of Vladimir Soucek (30th, 31st) or Jarrod Bowen ( 58e).

Tottenham had the last word thanks to goals from Steven Bergwijn (1-0, 29th) and Lucas Moura (2-1, 34th), while Bowen had equalized (1-1, 32nd) on a huge recovery error by Eric Dier.

Fallers of Manchester City, the four-time defending champion, on penalties, in the previous round, and Manchester United in the round of 16, David Moyes' men could however legitimately nurture ambitions in this competition.

They also pushed relentlessly in the second half, but the last minute absence of their central striker Michail Antonio, the last infected to date from the Covid-19 epidemic which is currently affecting English football, was cruelly. feel.

For its part, Chelsea, struggling in the league, has found a little smile by going to win in Brentford (2-0).

Still deprived of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Kaï Havertz in front, Thomas Tuchel had decided to start the novices Harvey James Vale (18 years) and Jude Soonsup-Bell (17 years) in attack, even if, from the resumption of the second period , he brought in Christian Pulisic.

Saved several times in the first period by Kepa, preferred to Edouard Mendy for the domestic cups, the Blues had to wait for a goal against his camp of Pontus Jansson ten minutes from time to take the advantage, before Jorginho doubled the penalty kick five minutes later.

Leicester City striker after opening the scoring in the English League Cup match against Liverpool on December 22, 2021 in Liverpool, England Oli SCARFF AFP

But the craziest match of the evening was that between Liverpool and Leicester, which ended in the stunning victory of the Reds (3-3, 5-4 ptab).

Jürgen Klopp had chosen to blow the holders with Conor Bradley (18), Tyler Morton and the French Billy Koumetio (both 19) on the pitch at kick-off, but almost missed his bet.

Jamie Vardy, twice (0-1, 9th and 0-2, 13th), and James Maddison, with a superb strike from 25 meters (1-3, 33rd), gave the Foxes a substantial advantage at the break , despite the reduction in the score of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (1-2, 19th).

At rest, the three youngsters joined the bench to make way for James Milner, Ibrahima Konate and Diog Jota.

The Portuguese also brought the Reds closer to one goal (2-3, 68th) but it was not until the end of the extra time to see Takumi Minamino equalize (3-3, 90 + 6) and send everyone on penalties, in an atmosphere almost worthy of European evenings.

The Japanese almost ruined everything by sending his decisive 5th attempt on the top of the crossbar, but luckily for him, the substitute goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher (23), author of two saves, and Diogo Jota who did not have the foot shaking on the 6th shot, sent the Reds into the last four.

Co-holder of the record for victory in the competition, with 8 trophies, like City, Liverpool can hope to regain the advantage over their great rival of recent years.

© 2021 AFP