Carabao Cup Wednesday quarter finals round-up

The Carabao Cup quarterfinals delivered thrilling action, with Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Arsenal securing their spots in the semifinals after exciting matches against their respective opponents. Here’s how the drama unfolded:

Newcastle United 3-1 Brentford: The Magpies Dominate

Newcastle United booked their place in the semifinals with a commanding 3-1 victory over Brentford at St. James’ Park. The home side started strong, opening the scoring in the 9th minute when Sandro Tonali fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner from outside the box. Newcastle doubled their lead in the 43rd minute, with Tonali once again finding the net after a clever assist from Anthony Gordon.

Fabian Schär made it 3-0 in the 69th minute, finishing off a corner with precision to all but seal the result. Brentford managed a late consolation goal in the 91st minute through Yoane Wissa, who converted a counterattack set up by Bryan Mbeumo. Despite some late pressure from the visitors, Newcastle held firm to secure a well-earned win.

Southampton 1-2 Liverpool: Reds Triumph Without Arne Slot

Liverpool overcame Southampton in a hard-fought 2-1 victory, despite manager Arne Slot serving a touchline ban. Under the guidance of assistants Johnny Heitinga and Sipke Hulshoff, the Reds showcased their depth with a rotated squad.

Darwin Núñez opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 30th minute, capitalizing on a defensive deflection to beat goalkeeper Alex McCarthy one-on-one. Cody Gakpo played a pivotal role in the second goal, combining beautifully with his teammates before setting up Harvey Elliott, who doubled the lead before halftime.

Southampton clawed one back in the second half with a superb strike from Cameron Archer, who curled the ball into the far corner to make it 1-2. The Saints pushed for an equalizer and impressed with their spirited play, but Liverpool’s defense held strong, sending the Reds into the semifinals.

Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace: Gabriel Jesus Shines with a Hat-Trick

Arsenal secured their semifinal spot with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, powered by a stunning hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus.

Palace took an early lead when Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalized on a defensive error by Jakub Kiwior to slot the ball past David Raya. Arsenal struggled to respond in the first half, with Dean Henderson denying Raheem Sterling’s free-kick effort to keep Palace ahead at the break.

Manager Mikel Arteta made key changes at halftime, introducing William Saliba and Martin Ødegaard, which shifted the momentum. Gabriel Jesus equalized with a delicate chip in the 50th minute after a pinpoint pass from Ødegaard. The Brazilian added his second in the 75th minute, firing into the far corner after great work by Bukayo Saka.

Jesus completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute, finishing emphatically after another brilliant assist from Ødegaard. Although former Arsenal player Trevoh Chalobah headed home a late goal for Palace, the Gunners held on for the victory.

Semifinal Lineup Set

With these results, the Carabao Cup semifinals are shaping up to be an exciting spectacle. The semifinalists include:

• Newcastle United
• Liverpool
• Arsenal
• The winner of Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester United

These teams will battle for a place in the final, keeping their silverware aspirations alive. The Carabao Cup continues to deliver high-stakes drama as the competition narrows down to its final stages.