Leno shines as Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties

Arsenal beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after the sides drew 0-0.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes his side took a “step forward” by beating Liverpool on penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

After a goalless 90 minutes at Anfield, Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno saved two penalties in the shootout before Joe Willock scored the winning spot-kick.

Arsenal lost 3-1 in the Premier League at the Reds four days ago, and Arteta was pleased with his side’s response.

“We still have lots to learn but we are on the right path,” the Spaniard said.

“It is the third time in about eight weeks we have played against the best team in Europe, in my opinion, and it is a step forward for my team.

“We want to treat every competition as an opportunity to win a trophy, we have to do that for the club we represent and we will do that.”

The teams produced a 5-5 thriller at Anfield before last season’s penalty shootout, won by Liverpool, but this was a considerably less exciting match.

Both sides struggled for fluency after making numerous changes from their Premier League meeting on Monday.

But after Divock Origi and Harry Wilson saw efforts saved by Leno, Willock converted the decisive penalty.

Arsenal will now host Manchester City in the last eight, with all ties to be played in the week commencing 21 December.

Jota scores as Liverpool comeback to beat Arsenal

Leno to Arsenal’s rescue
Mohamed Elneny’s miss earlier in the shootout looked like it was going to be costly, but German goalkeeper Leno salvaged the situation for Arsenal.
Leno’s excellence was a theme of the match, particularly once Liverpool – who had made nine changes from their win on Monday – got to grips with the game towards the end of the first period.
The former Bayer Leverkusen keeper brilliantly parried new signing Diogo Jota’s header and deserved some fortune when Takumi Minamino hit the crossbar with the follow up when he ought to have scored.
While Liverpool did not exactly carve Arsenal open at will, superb stops from Leno prevented both Jota and Virgil van Dijk from finding the left corner of the net after the break.
He became the first Arsenal goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at Anfield since Vito Mannone in September 2012.
Arsenal were organised and disciplined in defence and despite Mohamed Salah joining Minamino and Jota in an experienced frontline for Jurgen Klopp’s side, they could not find the breakthrough.