A rotated side does exactly what it needed to do

After a forgettable 0-0 draw against Fulham at the weekend, Liverpool needed a response. They got one in the most satisfying way possible, a clean sheet, two well-taken goals, and a place in the next round of the Carabao Cup, all while giving minutes to players who needed them desperately.

The Liverpool head coach made sweeping changes ahead of kick-off, and with several players still feeling the strain from the midweek Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid, the rotation was both inevitable and necessary. Speaking to Sky Sports, he explained his thinking: "Obviously we decided to change the team a lot. I think the other day we could see we needed some fresh legs. Today we will have a lot of players willing to have a good performance, willing to help us go to the next round."

Ten changes is a bold call in any knockout tie. But the spirit and quality on show at Anfield tonight made it look like anything but a gamble.

Mac Allister opens, Gakpo finishes the job

The first goal arrived on 21 minutes and it was a beauty. Mikey Ngumoha, full of running down the right, worked his way into the Tottenham box before being crowded out, but the ball broke kindly to Alexis Mac Allister on the edge of the area. The Argentine did not panic. He simply guided it high into the net past Martin Dubravka with the kind of composure you would expect from a World Cup winner.

Then in the 54th minute, Liverpool doubled their advantage through a move that showed exactly why this squad runs so deep. Milos Kerkez drove forward down the left, laid it off to Mac Allister, who found Cody Gakpo in space. Gakpo did the rest, dancing inside his marker and firing into the far corner with the confidence of a man playing at the very top of his game. Liverpool 2-0 Spurs, and the tie was done.

Gakpo had earlier seen an effort denied by Dubravka, and the Dutchman was a constant nuisance to a Tottenham defence that could never quite settle. Meanwhile, Lewis Koumas, starting centrally in the front three, saw a huge chance of his own well stopped by the Spurs goalkeeper, while Trey Nyoni impressed in midfield with a calmness that belied his age.

A night with plenty of talking points off the ball too

There were some nervy moments, of course. Giorgi Mamardashvili had an eventful start in goal, an errant pass, a moment of hesitation that raised a few eyebrows, and then a quite outstanding save before an offside flag offered him some relief. True to character, he still celebrated in front of the Kop. The Anfield crowd will warm to that.

Joe Gomez captained the side on his first appearance since limping off in pre-season back in July, and it was a big moment for the versatile defender. He was withdrawn at half-time, hopefully just a precautionary measure, with Jeremy Jacquet coming on in his place. Ronald Araujo, on loan, picked up a booking but was largely solid alongside him in what was a first-ever Liverpool centre-back pairing between the two.

And then there was that Anfield moment. Andy Robertson, now lining up for Spurs, was given a huge ovation by the home supporters as he warmed up on the touchline. Genuinely lovely from the Kop, and a fitting tribute to a player who gave everything in red for so many years.

What this means going forward

A record-extending 11th League Cup triumph is the prize at the end of this road, and tonight's performance, particularly given the wholesale changes, will give the Liverpool head coach real confidence in the depth of his squad. With a fourth-round place now secured, the question is how far this group can go, and which players have done enough tonight to push their claims for Premier League minutes.