Semi Finals Preview

The battle for the first domestic silverware of the 2023/24 season is hotting up, as the draw for the semi-finals of the League Cup has been made.

Three Premier League sides, plus Middlesbrough from the Championship, will do battle over two legs for a place at Wembley on February 25th. Liverpool are the clear favourites to win their 10th League Cup, having demolished West Ham 5-1 in the last 8, to set up a tie with fellow top flight side Fulham, who overcame Everton in a penalty shoot out.

Also fighting for a place in the final will be Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough, who eased past League 1 side Port Vale to set up a meeting with Chelsea, who edged past last year’s runners-up Newcastle on penalties, having been trailing 1-0 as the game went into injury time.

Liverpool have beaten Fulham in 8 of their last 11 Premier League meetings, but the stand out League Cup clash between the two took place back in September 1986, in the second round of the competition. Unusually, both sides had player-managers in the shape of Kenny Dalglish, and Ray Lewington – who is now Roy Hodgson’s right hand man at Crystal Palace. Fulham had been relegated to the 4th tier of English football the summer previously, while Liverpool had won the league and cup double. The result of the match at Anfield was never in doubt, but the final
scoreline raised many an eyebrow…

Liverpool astonishingly won the game 10-0, with England midfielder Steve McMahon scoring 4 of the goals. In the second leg of the tie at Craven Cottage, Fulham redeemed themselves a little, going down 3-2. Liverpool made it all the way to Wembley, but lost the final to Arsenal.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping that this competition puts a smile back on the faces of Chelsea fans who haven’t had a lot to get excited about recently. Realistically for the Blues it’s their best chance of success during this transitional season, and with lower league opposition standing between them and Wembley, it’s a fantastic opportunity.

The last time these teams met in the League Cup was in the 1997/98 Final at Wembley, under the leadership of two modern greats – Gianluca Vialli, and former England captain Bryan Robson. The match was a cagey affair, finishing goalless after 90 minutes, before Chelsea scored twice in extra-time to lift the trophy.

Michael Carrick’s focus this season is on pushing Boro into the mix for promotion to the top flight, and while this competition might not be the absolute priority, given Chelsea’s struggle for consistency so far during this campaign, you can never tell what might happen!

If you’re interested in coming along to Stamford Bridge or Anfield in January to watch one of these matches as a VIP, we’ve got some superb hospitality options available at both grounds – and if you’re already confident about the outcomes of the two ties we can also help you out with fantastic Wembley Stadium hospitality packages for the final.
Give us a call on 01454 201210 and we’ll be happy to take you through the experiences we can offer.

CONTACT THE TEAM

Give Us a call on 01454 201210 or email enquiries@circuithospitality.com to see how we can help you.