Caoimhin Kelleher has revealed the message he used as inspiration in tonight's penalty shootout was simply: "You've got nothing to lose." 👊 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 30, 2019 Both teams made 11 changes from their respective Premier League clashes on Sunday, with opposite numbers Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery electing to freshen things up. League leaders Liverpool took an early lead under the Anfield lights, with Shokdran Mustafi diverting Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain's cross into his own net in just the sixth minute after debutant Neco Williams found Ox down the right channel. Arsenal hit back in the 19th minute, with midfielder Lucas Torreira converting from close range after Kelleher parried Bukayo Saka's low shot. Replays suggested Torreira was offside, but the absence of VAR in the competition meant that the goal was allowed to stand. Arsenal took the lead seven minutes later, capitalizing on some poor Liverpool defending from a quick free kick. Torreira passed the set piece quickly out to Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the right, with the latter breezing past Origi and sending a low cross into the box. Kelleher was forced into a reflex save when the ball deflected off Sepp van den Berg, and a well-positioned Gabriel Martinelli was on hand to give the Gunners the lead from close range. Martinelli doubled his tally in the 36th minute, sweeping home Saka's cross after the impressive Mesut Ozil cut out Harvey Elliot's wayward pass deep in the Liverpool half. Two minutes before the interval, Martinelli conceded a penalty after a coming together with Elliot,- who at 16 years and 209 days became the youngest player to appear for the club at Anfield - though the contact looked minimal. James Milner - who played the game at left back - stepped up to dispatch the penalty with aplomb to send Liverpool into the break 3-2 down. There were five goals in a frantic opening 45 minutes, and there were still five more to come in a pulsating second half. Emery's visitors scored the game's sixth goal in the 54th minute, benefiting from an awful mistake from Milner. The English midfielder undercooked his routine back pass to Kelleher, allowing Maitland-Niles to nip in and get a touch on the ball. Ozil then produced a sumptuous back heel on the byline to keep the ball in play and allow Maitland-Niles to tap into an empty net. It was a former Gunners player who scored Liverpool's third goal in the 58th minute. Adam Lallana's header fell to Oxlaide-Chamberlain 25 yards from goal, and the midfielder took one touch before unleashing a superb swerving shot into the top corner. Four minutes later, the Merseyside club were level. Curtis Jones - who came on for the disappointing Naby Keita - drove forward from midfield and picked out Origi on the edge of the box. The Belgian striker had been struggling up to that point, but he turned sharply past Rob Holding before firing a powerful shot past Emiliano Martinez, who got a hand to it. Martinelli squandered a good chance to seal his hat-trick, but another Arsenal younger produced a stunning strike to restore the visitors' lead in the 70th minute. Joe Willock dribbled forward from deep before finding the top corner with a wonderful finish from 25 yards to make it 4-4. 70 minutes into his home debut, Republic of Ireland U21 'keeper Kelleher was picking the ball out of the net for the fifth time, with Liverpool conceded five goals at Anfield for only the second time in 66 years. Arsenal looked destined for the quarter-finals as the game entered stoppage time, before Origi scored yet another important goal for Klopp's men. In the 94th minute, the 25-year-old striker produced an excellent finish from Williams' cross to send the game to penalties. Hector Bellerin scored Arsenal's first penalty at the Kop end, with Milner soon converting his second penalty of the game. Mattéo Guendouzi, Lallana, Martinelli and Rhian Brewster all found the net from the next four penalties. Ceballos then saw his effort saved by the diving Kelleher, before 18-year-old Jones scored the winning penalty on his home debut. What a game.
Republic of Ireland U21 International Caoimhin Kelleher with the penalty winning save for Liverpool tonight against Arsenal in the English League Cup. #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/Qy67T43w1m — Domestic Ireland (@DomesticIreland) October 30, 2019