Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Liverpool, Chelsea, Fulham and Middlesbrough learn semi-final fate

Liverpool and Chelsea avoided each other in the semi-final draw

Pochettino commends Chelsea’s comeback with Sheffield win after string of defeats

Liverpool will play Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals while Middlesbrough face Chelsea.

Liverpool, who defeated Chelsea to win the League Cup in 2022, put West Ham to the sword in a 5-1 thrashing at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s side are favourites for the Carabao Cup as they look to win the tournament for a record-extending 10th time.

Fulham are into the League Cup semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history and are yet to win a major domestic trophy. Marco Silva’s side defeated Everton on penalties and would play in their first major final since finishing runners-up in the 2009 Uefa Cup should they reach Wembley.

Middlesbrough, the only non-Premier League team through to the last four, were winners of the League Cup in 2004 - in what was also the last time the club won a major honour. Michael Carrick’s team beat Port Vale in the quarter-finals and are currently 13th in the Championship table.

They will play Chelsea, who stunned Newcastle United, last season’s runners-up, at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were rescued by Mykhailo Mudryk’s late equaliser before winning 4-2 on penalties. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have struggled in the Premier League this season but the young Blues could get lift-off in the Carabao Cup.

The Carabao Cup semi-final ties will take place over two legs and will be played across 9/10 and 16/17 January. Follow our live blog below for the latest updates from the Carabao Cup and to see who will face who in the semi-finals

Carabao Cup semi-final draw

• Liverpool vs Fulham; Middlesbrough vs Chelsea
• When will the Carabao Cup semi-finals take place?
• Liverpool and Middlesbrough to host first-leg ties
• Liverpool thrashed West Ham 5-1 to complete semi-final line-up
• Chelsea reached last four after penalty-shootout victory over Newcastle
• Fulham in semi-finals for the first time after beating Everton on penalties
• Championship Middlesborough only non top-flight team left after cruising past Port Vale

[20 December 2023 22:45 · Jamie Braidwood]

Liverpool and Chelsea avoid each other as Carabao Cup semi-final draw confirmed

Liverpool will host Fulham at Anfield in the first leg before traveling to Craven Cottage for the return leg, while Middlesbrough will be at home first when they play Chelsea before going to Stamford Bridge. Liverpool defeated Fulham 4-3 at Anfield in the Premier League last month, in one of the games of the season so far.

Only four teams - Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United - have won the Carabao Cup since Swansea City’s surprise victory in 2013, and now Fulham and Middlesbrough are looking to end that run.

[20 December 2023 22:36 · Mike Jones]

Reaction from a delighted Jurgen Klopp

“The performance, the scoresheet, the result and the individual performances put together to make a team on the pitch.

“We were brave in our positioning, our second ball game was exceptional. It was a really, really good performance from start to finish.

“It is really tough for all of us, there’s a lot of games and the boys played a lot of football already. It was a game both teams had to win, it will be the same on Saturday and all the time. It is how it is so really nice to have a nice like that.

“The boys enjoyed it a lot, they worked hard but enjoyed it too with joyful football in moments. Nice to see.”

[20 December 2023 22:30 · Mike Jones]

Carabao Cup semi-final full draw

Middlesbrough vs Chelsea

Liverpool vs Fulham

The first legs will be played on week commencing 8th January.

[20 December 2023 22:29 · Mike Jones]

Carabao Cup semi-final draw

Jamie Redknapp pulls out Middlesbrough who are playing Chelsea.

In the second semi-final, Liverpool will be at home (for the first leg) against Fulham.

[20 December 2023 22:28 · Mike Jones]

Carabao Cup semi-final draw

Here we go then, it’s time for the draw.

Harry and Jamie Redknapp are performing the draw for the last four teams.

[20 December 2023 22:26 · Mike Jones]

Carabao Cup semi-final draw

Jurgen Klopp is giving some post match reaction and says that he enjoyed Curtis Jones’ performance. The semi-final draw will be taking place shortly after this interview.

[20 December 2023 22:19 · Mike Jones]

Curtis Jones’ post match reaction

“I just want to play, whether it is the Carabao Cup, Europa League or Premier League, I just want to play.

“I want to score goals and help the team. It is okay playing well but you need to score goals, I’ve scored two so a big smile on my face!

“There is energy in the team. Mohamed Salah didn’t start but came on and scored. Trent came on and assisted. It shows the quality of the team. It is an exciting season.”

[20 December 2023 22:15 · Mike Jones]

Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, speaking to Sky Sports:

“An important game to get through. We did our best and it was a good game in the end.

“We have a good team, we have amazing players. The only thing we have to do is stay focused and stay together and keep working hard and then the quality will come out.

“We have to keep calm and stay focused and keep going.”

[20 December 2023 22:12 · Mike Jones]

Liverpool demolish West Ham as goals arrive at just the right time

A policy of shooting on sight can work after all. After Liverpool spent Sunday accumulating shots without scoring, the floodgates opened in the Anfield rain. Their 34 efforts brought no goals against Manchester United.

Three days later, they tried and tried and tried again and 29 attempts yielded five goals, each courtesy of a fine finish. Persistent, determined, enterprising and excellent, they demolished West Ham, exorcising some of their frustration from Sunday’s stalemate. They surged into a semi-final as the favourites to win a second Carabao Cup in three years.

They performed with the elan of a team who can sense glory, West Ham with the ineptitude of one whose manager has never won at Anfield.

David Moyes’ streak stretches back more than two decades and 21 matches, but this was his heaviest defeat to Liverpool. On a near-perfect night for Klopp, Curtis Jones struck twice with Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah also scoring high-class goals for a team who were dominant and ambitious from the off. But an eventual shot count of 29-2 was an indictment of the Hammers.

[20 December 2023 22:08 · Mike Jones]

Liverpool defeat West Ham at Anfield

Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones (x2), Mo Salah, and Cody Gakpo all got on the scoresheet as Liverpool hammered West Ham 5-1 at Anfield.

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)