Liverpool 2-2 Northampton Town(2-4 On Penalties)
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Boss looking to unleash Brad Jones & Danny Wilson...
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has insisted he is taking the League Cup "very seriously" despite being set to rotate his squad.
The Anfield outfit are set to face Northampton Town in Wednesday night's third-round meeting. With one eye on the fight to reach the Champions League qualifying places, the ex-Fulham boss is expected to hand debuts to summer recruits Brad Jones and Danny Wilson as they take the place of Paul Konchesky and Pepe Reina.
Speaking to reporters, Hodgson revealed the value of handing a chance to his second string.
"It's a strange game for us in a sense," he said. "It's one where we definitely need to rotate the squad having played so many games and having to play so many more before the international break.
"But on the other hand it's a competition I take very seriously and I want to have a good run in the competition. We are bothered.
"There's a responsibility on those who replace the big-name players like Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher to name but four.
"And to be fair they've shown themselves capable of taking on that burden in a couple of European matches already.
"As we saw in the last game against Steaua Bucharest, Jay Spearing was arguably one of the best players on the field. If you never give him a chance, how do you know that?"
Hodgson also confirmed he was set to play Wilson at left-back despite the 18-year-old starring for Rangers in the centre of defence.
He stated: "Danny came here as a centre-back but is capable of playing at full-back in the same way we think Martin Kelly is capable of playing in this position."He's a player with great potential, very comfortable on the ball. I'm also quite interested in Dani Pacheco as well. He's impressed in training and looks like a very interesting prospect.
"His first-team chances have been limited because he wasn't in Switzerland in pre-season [because he was at the European Under-19 Championships with Spain], where he would have played for sure.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing him play and it's another great chance for Ryan Babel and David Ngog to stake their claim for a place in the team."
Hodgson was also looking forward to seeing reserve goalkeeper Brad Jones in action for the first time since his switch from Middlesbrough.
"Brad Jones is an international goalkeeper for Australia and he's played many games for Middlesbrough so I have no doubts about him and his competence," he added.
"Pepe is a fantastic character who wants to play every game, whether it's a seven-a-side in training or any game Liverpool plays, but it's important that Brad gets his chance.
"Goalkeepers have got to be a very special breed. You need a character who is good enough for the Premier League but who also understands that there's another goalkeeper at the club who's probably better than him.
"You look for an exceptional person and then all you can do is try to keep them on board as much as you can.
"That is done by treating them with the proper respect in training, and that's very important, and by giving them a chance to play when the opportunity presents itself."
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.SERIOUS OR NOT,YOU STILL GOT KO'ED!!!!!!!!!!! IM LOVING IT!!!!!!!
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sadly, we did.
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Minnows knock out Premier League giants...
League Two side Northampton Town provided one of the biggest cup shocks in football history, after the Cobblers defeated Liverpool 4-2 on penalties in the League Cup.
A rain-sodden, half-full Anfield witnessed an enthralling cup-tie that saw Northampton lead with three minutes of extra time remaining, before David Ngog's strike took the game to a shootout.
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson made no less than eleven changes to the starting line-up, handing fringe players an opportunity to stake their claim for the weekends match against Sunderland. There were also starting debuts for young Scottish defender Danny Wilson, and Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones, while Spanish talisman Fernando Torres and influential captain Steven Gerrard were rested for Wednesday’s clash.
Liverpool made a great start to the match and it was not long before they forced their authority on the game.
On ten minutes, Daniel Agger played a lovely ball through to Milan Jovanovic which sliced through the Northampton defence, allowing the striker to drill a powerful shot into the back of the net from eight yards, and get his first goal for the club.
However the away side had chances of their own. A deep cross by John Johnson found Michael Jacobs at the back post, but the striker was unable to connect properly with the header, and sent it high over the bar.
But this miss only seemed to spur on the visitors. Kevin Thornton received the ball in acres of space in-between Liverpool's midfield and defence, and pirouetted before charging towards goal, but his twenty-yard shot was wide of Jones' right hand post.
The Cobblers threatened again moments later. Liam Davis played a ball into Jacobs on the edge of the area, and the Liverpool defence allowed to turn and unleash an effort on goal, but fortunately for the home side his shot sailed over Jones' bar.
Jacobs was at the heart of all things good for the away side. Just after the half hour mark the ball was played to him on the left wing, and he cut onto his right foot before sending a curling shot just wide of Jones' left hand post, with the goalkeeper scrambling across his six-yard box.
And with half-time approaching, the visitors continued their search for the equaliser. Thornton whipped in a free kick which was only half cleared by the Liverpool defence. It fell to Ryan Gilligan, but the midfielder opted for power over placement, and his volley flew wide of the goal.
Desptite undoubtedly receiving stern words from Roy Hodgson during the interval, Liverpool started the second-half with a tepid long-ball from Daniel Agger, which was cleared easily by Andy Holt on the edge of the area.
Kop-Busters | League Two side stunned Reds by overturning one-goal deficit
And the home side were finally punished minutes later. The ball was chipped in by Davis; his pass found Thornton, who in turn knocked it down for Billy McKay to volley home from close range sending the away fans into raptures.
With an upset very much on the cards, Northampton continued to pressurise their host’s defence.
But the home side nearly took the lead on the counter attack on seventy-six minutes. Babel chipped a ball across to the back post, but Pacheco was unable to convert the chance, putting his shot wide of the post.
With extra-time and penalties looming, there was still no signs of either team being able to find that elusive goal. Liverpool tried desperately to unlock the Northampton defence, but they stood strong and the whistle went signalling extra-time to the ring of boos echoing around Anfield.
After a tentative opening 10 minutes of extra-time, the visitors got their noses in front. Courtney Herbert, who replaced Paul Rodgers, bombed down the right wing before cutting inside Wilson then firing a shot which was saved by Jones. But It rebounded to Thornton, who's shot was cleared off the line by Kelly but only as far as Jacobs, who fired home from five yards in front of the Kop.
And Northampton's goal seemed to kick-start Liverpool, who then threatened to equalise. Substitute Jonjo Shelvey delivered a great cross for makeshift striker Kyrgiakos, who had been pushed forward by Hodgson, but his header from six-yards out went wide of the post, and the at interval, the visitors lead.
The second half of extra-time was dominated by the home side, as the Northampton box was bombarded with long balls.
Lucas came close with a thundering drive from just outside the area, but it cureled agonisingly wide for the Brazilian.
But six minutes before the end, cruelly for Northampton, Liverpool found their equaliser. Kyrgiakos won the header from a corner; and Ngog pounced to squeeze it past the defender on the line from eight-yards out and into the back of the net.
Within minutes, Northampton almost grabbed almost took the lead once more, and shot cleared off the line by Martin Kelly.
Then Liverpool nearly has a chance to nick at the end. Shelvey's cross was headed goal wards by Kyrgiakos but Davis cleared from just two yards out.
The game then went to penalties, and despite Steve Guinan firing his over the bar, misses from Ngog and Nathan Eccleston allowed Abdal Osman to slot home the winning penalty and secure a memorable victory for the Cobblers.
