Liverpool defeat Arsenal on penalties after a thrilling 5-5 draw

Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties following a sensational 5-5 draw to advance into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

A last-minute Divock Origi goal sent the game into penalties where Arsenal substitute Dani Ceballos missed their fourth pen and Curtis Jones scoring the last penalty to give Jurgen Klopp’s side an unlikely win.

The full-time result was a draw, which was an 11/4, but Unai Emery will be hugely disappointed that his side could not hold to a win that was 7/5 ahead of the game.

The game started in bizarre fashion as Shkodran Mustafi scored an own goal within the first six minutes to give the home side the lead.

Arsenal replied just 13 minutes later with a goal from Lucas Torreira. The Uruguayan followed a rebound from a Bukayo Saka shot to score in an open net. He was offside but since VAR is not employed in this competition, the goal stood as the referees failed to see the midfielder standing in an offside position.

Shortly after, Gabriel Martinelli scored a brace within 10 minutes. Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cross is deflected on goal, Caoimhín Kelleher makes a sharp one-handed save but Martinelli is there to lash into the roof of the net.

Mesut Ozil won the ball back and played in Saka who found an open Martinelli waiting in the box. The youngster put it past the keeper with ease to score his second. The Brazillian has been on fire this season and thus, was 11/10 to score anytime.

A minute before the end of the half, James Milner scored a penalty to bring it back to 3-2. However, it does come with controversy as it looked like a dive from Harvey Elliot gave the Reds the penalty.

The second half was just as action-packed as the first. The Gunners scored in the 54th-minute courtesy of some genius composure from Ozil. Milner’s back pass was short and intercepted by Maitland-Niles but the Englishman’s touch sent the ball nearly out of play. Ozil managed to backheel it back to the midfielder who scored in an empty net.

Arsenal’s two-goal lead was cut back down to one just four minutes later thanks to a wonder-strike from a former Arsenal player. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got ahead of Maitland-Niles and struck a sensational half-volley from 25 yards past Emiliano Martinez.

Champions League hero Divock Origi then scored four minutes later to level things up. Substitute Curtis Jones plays in the Belgian who turns and has a great shot. Martinez got a hand to it but could not stop it from going in.

However, eight minutes later Joe Willock scored to give the Gunners the lead in what was an action-packed second half. The midfielder collected the ball from the halfway line, drove into the heart of Liverpool‘s defence and sent a beautiful shot from 30 yards into the top left corner.

As the clock was winding down, it seemed that was the winner. But drama ensued, as Origi was found in the middle of the box and the striker swivelled and volleyed it into the back of the net to send the game into penalties.

Each side had scored their first three penalties but Dani Ceballos’ effort was saved by Kelleher to give Liverpool the chance to steal the win. It went down to the final penalty, which Curtis Jones dispatched to give the Reds a 5-4 win on penalties.