It was the reaction of those not in Dominik Szoboszlai’s close proximity that helped one understand the true genius behind his strike.Defender Ronald Araujo ran to the dugouts and zipped along on the sodden turf on his knees like it was he who had scored – and done so in the World Cup final to boot.Alexander Isak, one of the best strikers in the game, was less animated but put his hands to his head.Awestruck, yes. Shocked, maybe not. Szoboszlai does this in training a lot and he, like his idol and predecessor to the No 8 shirt at Liverpool in Steven Gerrard, knows how to strike a ball from distance.’It was scary, not many hit a ball like Dom,’ said man-of-the-match Lewis Koumas, the academy starlet who shone.The Hungarian chested down a loose ball, let it bounce once and unleashed a thunderous strike from 30 yards. It was an early goal-of-the-season contender and helped Liverpool progress in the Carabao Cup at the expense of a wasteful Tottenham Hotspur. Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring his second goal in his last two starts for Liverpool Cody Gakpo is flying once more after coming close to leaving Liverpool in the summer The victory was rounded off by a goal-of-the-season contender from Dominik Szoboszlai Szoboszlai put his finger to his ear in a gesture that might have been directed at those who gave him criticism at the weekend for a poor off-the-ball performance. Some might see him as arrogant, but if you can score goals like that, who wouldn’t be?’The goal is a worldie, outstanding,’ said Iraola. ‘The thing with Dom is before shooting, you trust him. With other players you might think it is too far away. With Dom, everyone is thinking he might score.’ MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili 7.5; Frimpong 6, Araujo 6.5, Gomez 7 (Jacquet 46, 7), Kerkez 6; Nyoni 7 (Gravenberch 62, 6), Mac Allister 8; Ngumoha 7 (Barcola 72, 6), McConnell 7 (Szoboszlai 62, 6); Gakpo 7; Koumas 8Subs not used: Alisson, Endo, Isak, Munoz, Chambers. Booked: Araujo, Frimpong, Kerkez, IraolaScorers: Mac Allister 21, Gakpo 54, Szoboszlai 90+1Manager: Andoni Iraola 7TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Dubravka 6; Gray 6, Tosin 6, Senesi 6, Udogie 6 (Robertson 57, 6); Bentancur 6 (Fernandes 57, 6), Bergvall 6.5; Kudus 6 (Savio 75, 6), Gallagher 7 (Maddison 75, 6), Tel 5 (Solanke 85); Marmoush 5Subs not used: Kinsky, Van Hecke, Davies, Van de VenBooked: Marmoush, BentancurScorer: Gallagher 69Manager: Roberto De Zerbi 5Man of the Match: Koumas <!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/us/sport/football/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->
The super strike ended a nail-biting finale at Anfield that saw Conor Gallagher pull a goal back, Omar Marmoush be denied by a finger-tip save and his fellow Manchester City bench-warmer Savio drag a shot wide.Szoboszlai will take the acclaim as he often does but this victory equally belonged to his team-mates and the supporting cast after Andoni Iraola made 10 changes from the side that looked lethargic and devoid of ideas in a 0-0 weekend draw with Fulham.The main architects of the win were two players who have points to prove at the club.One feels unwanted amid a contract stand-off, the other the opposite after a summer departure was kiboshed – but Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo combined to lethal effect here.First up was Mac Allister, the Argentine who last week revealed he was ‘very sad’ with the club for not putting a new contract on the table for him and saying they were not in a position to extend his deal at the club.He has talked the talk but is walking the walk, this his second goal in the two starts since then after a starring role and strike against Atletico Madrid six days ago.Sadly for the midfielder and his camp, including father Carlos, it appears Liverpool are benefiting from the uncertainty around him. He is playing with a point to prove and this frustrated version of Mac Allister is markedly better than the sloppy, lethargic version of last term.His goal was a fine, curling finish with the inside of his foot after 21 minutes after Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha combined well and worked the ball into Mac Allister’s path, via the help of an unfortunate toe from Destiny Udogie.Then there is Gakpo. Had the summer window panned out ever so slightly differently, the Dutchman would be at Manchester City or Spurs right now, with both clubs at different times confident of signing him during a saga that felt like it was destined to end with an exit. The pressure will pile on Roberto De Zerbi after Spurs were dumped out of the cup Lewis Koumas, one of several youngsters trusted by Andoni Iraola in this new era, was energetic throughoutBut Liverpool ultimately pulled the plug on those moves and, like his fellow goal-scorer, Gakpo is flying once more, with two goals and four assists in his first five appearances of the season.Gakpo’s strike was a thumping finish after Mac Allister’s incisive assist.Both cases should serve as a reminder to fans to not write off players so quickly. Neither were anywhere near their best last term but both have looked reborn under Iraola.Another thing the new boss has given is a trust in youth. Koumas, 20, was the man of the match here in an outstanding display. Iraola described him as ‘contagious’ which is bang on: the Chester-born forward is a bundle of energy leading from the front.Koumas spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City and was a substitute in the play-off final. Few then could have foreseen his rise, but his hard work, attitude and pressing ability have impressed Iraola. Midfielder James McConnell is also worthy of praise.Another deserving of a shout-out is goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.Despite being the first top-flight goalkeeper to concede to Tottenham this season, and being at fault for flapping at a cross in the process, it could have been more if not for two fine saves – one at the start to deny Lucas Bergvall, the other in the dying stages to thwart Marmoush.Conor Gallagher had halved Liverpool’s lead, heading home a Matheus Fernandes corner, and Anfield was soon transformed into a theatre of nerves once more but big Georgian Mamardashvili, plus Szoboszlai’s wonder-strike, saw the Reds into the next round.Roberto De Zerbi said he had won games playing much worse than tonight and he is right. But the Italian could do with a lucky break after blanking four times in the league and already being dumped out of the cup.Spurs were better here and could have got a result on another day. De Zerbi said: ‘We have to shoot more times, we have to shoot better, we have to finish better the clear situations, but we are sorry for the result, disappointed, frustrated for the result.’I think it’s unfair, but we have to accept it and to be stronger than this unlucky moment.’