liverpool-v-chelsea-carabao-cup-fourth-round
Andoni Iraola has said he can feel the togetherness of his Liverpool side building after the Reds progressed to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals against Chelsea.
Liverpool came out on top in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at Anfield, after spot-kicks in normal time from Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo.
Iraola's side won 6-5 on penalties, as Chelsea's Wesley Fofana missed the decisive kick. Both sides had already squandered earlier opportunities to win the shootout.
Including shootout success, the win was Liverpool's fifth straight in all competitions. Iraola believes there is momentum building within his squad, ahead of a huge clash with Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend.
"I feel it and I’m very happy to feel it because I think it’s very important. We need to feel what we are feeling now, the players are feeling. They are feeling the support of the ones in the stands and I think when we are all together, we create better atmospheres," he said at his post-match press conference.
"Even starting losing, there was ‘Let’s go, come on.’ A lot of the players have given us very good help and now it’s the third game at home where we finish with good feelings. And we have another big one on Sunday and let’s try to finish this four in a row that we had at home in the best way."
Iraola will face familiar opposition in the quarter-finals after Liverpool were drawn to face former club Bournemouth. The Spaniard admitted that the in-form Cherries were the side he most wanted to avoid.
"Honestly, I was talking before the draw and I said, ‘The only team I don’t want is Bournemouth…’ For me, it’s special. They know me very well, they are playing very well lately, in a good moment. But it is what it is. We haven’t been very lucky with the draws – we have played Spurs and Chelsea already and now Bournemouth. That is going to be obviously special for me. But we have to earn the right to be in the semi-finals and I hope we can do it here at home again."
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