MARTINELLI, HE SCORES WHEN HE WANTS
That was the chant from the away end at Anfield during the first half when our Brazilian teenager added to his growing reputation with two more goals.
It took his tally to seven from just seven appearances, only four of which have been starts.
His latest two goals were pure striker's efforts rather than spectacular strikes, a case of being in the right place at the right time. Very promising signs for a player who arrived as an out and out winger, but has been deployed centrally in his last few appearances.
It could have been even better for him too. He should have done better with a header in front of goal late in the first half, and blazed over from Hector Bellerin's low cross with the score at 4-4. He was close to following in the footsteps of compatriot Julio Baptista, who scored a League Cup hat-trick here 12 years ago.
But with seven goals the 18-year-old is now the top-scoring teenager for a club in the top-five European leagues this season.
His goals have all come in the Europa League and Carabao Cup so far, his next challenge is to find the net in the Premier League.
SCORING, SCORING ARSENAL
A 5-5 draw is always going to throw up a plethora of stats. This was the highest scoring draw between two top flight teams since Manchester United shared 10 goals with West Brom in May 2013, and Arsenal v Liverpool is now the highest scoring fixture in League Cup history, with 47 goals from 15 meetings.
We are responsible for the last three incidents of a team scoring at least four goals at Anfield – following our 6-3 win in 2007 and the Arshavin-inspired 4-4 draw in 2009.
This game came seven years to the day after the unforgettable 7-5 win over Reading in the same competition – but that match was played over 120 minutes.
Another interesting fact to emerge from the game – this was the first time we had two different English scorers in a match at Anfield since the famous title decider in 1989, when Alan Smith and Michael Thomas netted in a 2-0 win.
MESUT'S RETURN
Back in the team for the first time since the third-round win over Nottingham Forest, Mesut Ozil was back to his creative best, playing in the number 10 role behind Martinelli.
Involved in the first goal for Lucas Torreira, and winning the ball back to help set up the third, he also claimed the assist for our fourth goal. His chasing down followed by a deft cut back from the far post enabled Ainsley Maitland-Niles to have a tap in, after he himself had created the chance, pouncing on James Milner's errant backpass.
That was Ozil's 70th assist in all competitions for us, 28 more than any other player has managed since he arrived in September 2013.
A few eyebrows were raised when he was withdrawn just after the hour mark, but was that done with one eye on Saturday's match with Wolves?
"We decided before the game to only play him for that amount of time," Unai Emery explained afterwards. "We have a match on Saturday and we will look at the possibility to use him again."
Ozil has only played 71 minutes in the Premier League so far this season, but could well add to that this weekend. The fans will certainly hope so, judging by their loud and continued support of the Germany schemer throughout the game tonight.
PENALTY PAIN
This was our first competitive penalty shootout defeat for nearly seven years, and only the second we have lost in the past 10 shootouts, having prevailed in each of our previous three.
Hector Bellerin - captain for the night - led by example to score the first spot kick and get us underway in front of the Kop, followed by successful efforts from Matteo Guendouzi and Gabriel Martinelli.
But Dani Ceballos had his attempt saved by 20-year-old keeper Caoimhin Kelleher down to his left, and although Ainsley Maitland-Niles tucked home his from 12 yards, it wasn't enough.
Emi Martinez would have been disappointed to not make any saves, having featured in two pre-season shootouts, saving spot kicks in both, as well as the two saves he made in the victorious friendly shootout against Bayern Munich in 2017.
It all adds up to more penalty pain for the Gunners this season. James Milner's penalty in the first half was the fifth we have conceded already this season, and all of the 13 spot kicks we have faced since the start of last term have been converted – more than any other side.
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