CARLING CUP: LIVERPOOL 3 ARSENAL 6

Team of the day..
Dudek, Warnock, Hyypia, Paletta, Peltier, Aurelio, Gerrard MBE (c), Guthrie, Gonzalez, Bellamy, Fowler.
Subs - Alonso, Carragher, Crouch, Garcia, Reina

liverpoolfc.tv reports..

Liverpool are out of the Carling Cup after four goals from Julio Baptista and goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Alexandre Song gave Arsenal a 6-3 victory in the Quarter Final at Anfield on Tuesday.

The Reds looked dead and buried after two goals from Baptista and one each from Aliadiere and Song cancelled out a Robbie Fowler strike to give Arsenal a 4-1 half time lead. But they produced a sterling second half fight back that saw Jerzy Dudek save a penalty and Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia score to reduce the deficit after Baptista had completed his hat-trick and made it 5-1.

And although Steven Gerrard came close to making it 5-4 when he hit the crossbar and Jamie Carragher forced a fine save from Almunia, Baptista killed off any hope of a famous comeback when he scored his fourth and Arsenal's sixth in the 84th minute.

Liverpool of course were looking to avenge FA Cup defeat to the Gunners here on Saturday, but it was two vastly different teams that took to the field with both Rafa Benitez and Arsene Wenger making numerous changes from the sides that started that game.

The Reds weren't helped by an early injury to Mark Gonzalez forcing a change after he'd injured himself tackling Walcott. We had a long stoppage as the clearly stricken Chilean received treatment on the pitch and the match was forgotten while thoughts were with switched to his welfare.

Gonzalez was eventually replaced by Luis Garcia and he almost had an immediate impact when his through pass almost gave Fowler a chance. And Fowler was on the sniff again just a minute later when he almost got on the end of Gerrard's header after Bellamy had done well on the right.

Like in the FA Cup, Liverpool were on top, but just like in that game, Arsenal took the lead against the run of play through Jeremie Aliadiere in the 27th minute. It came when Toure played a long ball over the top and Aliadiere latched onto it and beat Dudek at the second attempt.

The Reds weren't behind for long though because they scored an excellent 32nd minute equalizer through Robbie Fowler. We've already seen how good Fabio Aurelio's left foot is; and Fowler scored with a flick of his left boot after Almunia could only parry Aurelio's free kick and Garcia had pulled the ball back.

It was a deserved equalizer and the Reds then briefly threatened to take the lead, but Arsenal would go on to score three further first half goals to put themselves and this tie out of sight by half time.

They were back in front in the 40th minute when Julio Baptista beat Dudek with a free kick from 25 yards. And Baptista scored again to make it 4-1 from close range in first half stoppage time after Alexandre Song had made it 3-1 just moments earlier when the ball had bounced favourably for him in the area..

Liverpool were reeling and the Kop tried to lift them at half time with a passionate burst of You'll Never Walk Alone, but it was to no avail because Baptista claimed his hat-trick and made it 5-1 in the 60th minute.

A fine penalty save by Jerzy Dudek from Baptista and a brilliant goals from Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia restored hope for the Reds, but it served to be no more than a consolation. Baptista capped a fine individual display when he grabbed his fourth to make it 6-3 and Liverpool must now look to Saturday's trip to Watford to get their cup hangover out of their system.

Rafa comments..

"It's a bad night for us and all we can say is sorry to the supporters.

"Now isn't the time to point the finger or look to blame people. We win together and we lose together.

"The problem was conceding four goals in the first half. When you are faced with a scoreline like that it is very difficult to manage the game.

"We needed an early goal in the second half but couldn't find it. When we did score Arsenal had the quality to keep the ball and make it difficult for us.

"We need to forget about tonight as soon as possible and look ahead to Watford in the Premiership on Saturday and also the Champions League."

louis' comments..

Gutted, disappointed. I've nothing much to say about this match. We lost and let's move on..

you'll never walk alone..

cheers.