Alonso refuses to celebrate as Leverkusen match unbeaten record

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool overturned a first leg deficit to reach the League Cup final with a 4-0 win on Thursday and ramp up the pressure on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.
Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk were on target for the Reds, who will face Newcastle at Wembley on March 16 for the first silverware of the English season.
Liverpool remain on course for a quadruple in a dream debut season for Arne Slot.
They enjoy a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League and visit Championship strugglers Plymouth in the FA cup fourth round on Sunday.
Spurs’ trophy drought on the other hand goes on. Tottenham last lifted silverware in 2008 and Postecoglou now has one less opportunity to fulfil his promise of winning a trophy in his second season.
There is speculation the Australian could be shown the door if another goes awry away to Aston Villa in the FA Cup at the weekend with Spurs languishing 14th in the Premier League.
Despite having more glamorous titles to win, Slot showed his desire to make the League Cup his first trophy as Liverpool boss by naming his strongest available team bar the usual rotation in goal for cup competitions as Caoimhin Kelleher replaced Alisson Becker.
New signing Kevin Danso was forced straight in to Tottenham’s injury-ravaged defense, while Mathys Tel also made an early debut off the bench after Richarlison hobbled off injured.
Liverpool had scored four in each of the previous two meetings between the sides at Anfield and repeated that feat to make light of their 1-0 first leg defeat in north London last month.
The home side had taken the first quarter to find their stride but the pressure built after Szoboszlai ran offside before sweeping home Salah’s pass.
From the Egyptian’s next delivery into the box, Spurs did not escape as Gakpo drilled in first time to move clear as the top scorer in this season’s competition with five goals.
Antonin Kinsky kept Salah waiting for his goal with a fine save moments later, but at the other end of the field Richarlison lay prone to leave Postecoglou’s team further depleted.
Already without record signing Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert in attacking areas, Tottenham never looked capable of mounting the threat they needed to survive the Liverpool onslaught.
The decisive blow came five minutes into the second half when Kinsky rushed off his line but was beaten to the ball by Darwin Nunez and caught the Uruguayan.
Salah ruthlessly dispatched the resulting penalty into the top corner for his 26th goal of the season.
Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch fired off the post as Liverpool put their foot down to kill the tie off.
The killer third goal came 15 minutes from time when Connor Bradley, who excelled in the absence of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, played in Szoboszlai to slot home.
Van Dijk then exposed Spurs’ struggles defending set-pieces by heading in the fourth from a corner to rub salt in the visitors’ wounds.
Newcastle are eying an end to their own 56-year wait for a major trophy after an impressive 4-0 humbling of Arsenal on aggregate in the other semifinal.
But the Magpies have the unenviable task of stopping Slot’s juggernaut if they are to do so.

RIO DE JANEIRO: Former Real Madrid left-back Marcelo announced his retirement from professional football on Thursday after a trophy-laden career.
The 36-year-old spent 16 years at Spanish giants Madrid, winning six La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies.
“At 18, Real Madrid came knocking on my door and I arrived here,” Marcelo said in a video posted on social media. “Now, I can proudly say that I am a true ‘Madrileno’.
“What a journey. Real Madrid is a unique club.”
Marcelo enjoyed a strong relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, lifting four Champions Leagues with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The pair both scored in the 2014 final victory over Atletico Madrid when Real ended a 12-year wait for their 10th European Cup.
“My brother, what an incredible career! We have lived a lot together, it has been years of achievements, victories and unforgettable moments,” Ronaldo said in a post on Instagram.
“More than a teammate, a partner for life.”
Marcelo also won the Copa del Rey twice and the Club World Cup four times during his time with Los Blancos, for whom he made 546 appearances, scoring 38 goals.
“One of the greatest left-backs in Real Madrid and world football history, and we had the privilege of watching him for a long time,” said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in a statement.
“He is one of our greatest legends and Real Madrid is and always will be his home.”
Marcelo was an unused substitute in the 2022 Champions League final when his compatriot Vinicius Junior scored the only goal against Liverpool.
“Thank you for your advice, for your reprimands, for the time spent by your side,” said Vinicius on social media.
“We were victorious on the field and we are friends off it.”
Marcelo made 58 appearances for the Brazil national team, playing at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and winning the 2013 Confederations Cup.
He was part of the teams that won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in Beijing in 2008.
“Playing for my country since the youth categories has also been a great honor,” he said.
“In my memory I will always cherish two Olympic medals and a Confederations Cup.”
Marcelo started his career with Brazilian club Fluminense before leaving for Real.
When he finally left the Santiago Bernabeu he joined Greek club Olympiakos but terminated his contract after just five months to rejoin Fluminense.
Marcelo helped his home team win the Copa Libertadores for the first time with victory over Boca Juniors in the 2023 final.
He left the club by mutual consent last November and has not played since.