adminLONDON. — Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno for repaying his faith after the German’s two penalty saves clinched a 5-4 shoot-out win over Liverpool that sent the Gunners into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Thursday night.
Arteta’s side had already beaten Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield earlier this football season and they repeated the trick in the fourth round tie.
Joe Willock scored the winning penalty after Leno saved from Divock Origi and Harry Wilson.
Adrian kept out Arsenal’s third spot-kick from Mohamed Elneny, but Alexandre Lacazette, Cedric Soares, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nicolas Pepe all netted before Willock set up a last eight clash with Manchester City.
Asked about facing City, where he worked as Pep Guardiola’s assistant until December, Arteta said: “I was waiting and enjoying the victory and then we have to play Manchester City.
“It is what is. There are a lot of tough teams left in the competition.”
Arsenal, who haven’t lifted the Carabao Cup (League Cup) since 1993, have won three of their last four meetings with Liverpool in the space of just 11 weeks.
Arsenal’s disciplined display was another sign that the FA Cup winners are heading in the right direction under Arteta’s astute leadership.
In Thursday’s other fourth round action, Stoke claimed a shock 1-0 win at Aston Villa, while Brentford reached the last eight for the first time with a surprise 3-0 victory against Fulham.
Stoke will host Tottenham in the quarter-finals.
Europa Draw in full
Group A: Roma, Young Boys, Cluj, CSKA Sofia
Group B: Arsenal, Rapid Vienna, Molde, Dundalk
Group C: Bayer Leverkusen, Slavia Prague, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Nice
Group D: Benfica, Standard Liege, Rangers, Lech Poznan
Group E: PSV Eindhoven, PAOK, Granada, Omonoia
Group F: Napoli, Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar, Rijeka
Group G: Braga, Leicester, AEK Athens, Zorya Luhansk
Group H: Celtic, Sparta Prague, AC Milan, Lille
Group I: Villarreal, Qarabag, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Sivasspor
Group J: Tottenham, Ludogorets, LASK, Royal Antwerp
Group K: CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord, Wolfsberger
Group L: Gent, Red Star, Hoffenheim, Slovan Liberec .
— AFP.
Online Reporter