Diaz delivers as Liverpool reach League Cup final after 1-1 draw with Fulham

Luis Diaz's early strike helped Liverpool secure a spot in their 14th League Cup final, drawing 1-1 with Fulham in the semi-final's second leg at Craven Cottage.

The outcome, a 3-2 aggregate victory, sets up a showdown with Chelsea on February 25th at Wembley, reminiscent of last year's final where Liverpool triumphed in a penalty shootout

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp expressed his excitement to Sky Sports, emphasizing the value of consistently competing for trophies and praising his team's performance despite Fulham's late push after Issa Diop's 76th-minute equalizer.

Diaz's opening goal came 11 minutes into the game, featuring a clever touch and deflected shot that found the net.

Despite the tense finish, with Fulham relentlessly attacking until the final whistle, Klopp reminded that the ultimate goal was to reach the final. Liverpool, who remain contenders in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Europa League, will likely miss Mohamed Salah for a few weeks due to his injury at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Both teams missed further opportunities, with Fulham's Andreas Pereira hitting the post and Liverpool's Harvey Elliott testing the goalkeeper in a quick succession. Darwin Nunez also had a golden chance, narrowly missing the target.

Looking ahead, both Liverpool and Fulham turn their focus to the FA Cup, where Liverpool will face Norwich City and Fulham will host Newcastle United in their respective fourth-round fixtures.