Liverpool v Chelsea - Carabao Cup Fourth Round
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Liverpool came from behind to win a game of football under Andoni Iraola once again on Wednesday as they snuck through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Chelsea were the Reds’ victims this time, and having sent out a very understrength starting XI, Iraola will be delighted to have made it five wins in a row.
The performance itself was not always clean, and not always full of quality, but according to Liverpool legend Steve Nicol, the Reds looked more full of energy against the Blues than they have at any other stage under Iraola so far. If they are to make it six out of six when they face Arsenal on Sunday, Nicol says they must approach that game with exactly the same ferocity.
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Nicol urges Liverpool to keep their energy up
Liverpool have been making steady progress with Iraola in charge, and though fans are still yet to consistently see the Spaniard’s high-intensity, pressing football continuously throughout matches, it feels like every match is another step in the right direction.
Nicol certainly thinks that was true of Wednesday’s win, hailing Liverpool’s energy and chemistry while analysing the match for ESPN.
“There just seems to be a chemistry, particularly going forward,” said the Scotsman. “Previously everything was so slow and it just basically made it easier for anybody that was playing against Liverpool to defend them.
“Even tonight with the reserve team, Liverpool actually made some chances and there was some good movement from the middle of the park to the front men. And Gakpo, he ran out of gas at the end, but Gakpo was a complete thorn in Chelsea’s side all night.”
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“So yeah, that’s the biggest thing for me,” Nicol added. “It started a couple of games ago, it was good at the weekend [vs Brighton] with the front players, and it was good tonight with the reserve team. They didn’t create an awful lot, but there was an energy about them that has been missing for most of the season.
“If they can carry that on at the weekend, because they’re going to have to have it against Arsenal, then it’ll give Arsenal something to think about.”
With the Gunners coming to Anfield on the back of a shock penalty shootout defeat against Fleetwood Town, Liverpool fans will be hoping their team can keep the good times rolling and feed off the energy from an enthusiastic home crowd.
Iraola will ring the changes once again, and with the big names restored to the starting XI, hopefully Liverpool can make another big step in the right direction against the Premier League champions.