Liverpool through to Carabao Cup semi-finals after beating Southampton

Liverpool progressed to the Carabao Cup semi-finals by piling more misery on managerless Southampton with a 2-1 win at a rain-soaked St Mary’s.

Three days since sacking Russell Martin following a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Tottenham, the Premier League’s bottom side were seeking to stun the holders under the guidance of interim boss Simon Rusk.

First-half goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott put Arne Slot’s much-changed Reds in control of the quarter-final tie before Cameron Archer halved the deficit to set up a tense final half an hour.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher produced a fine save to deny Archer an equaliser as the south-coast club fell short of forcing a penalty shootout following an improved second-half showing.