Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle progress in English League Cup to ensure powerful lineup for semis

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Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates stadium, in London, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

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Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus scores his side’s third goal during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

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Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring during the English Football Lague Cup soccer match between Southampton and Liverpool in Southampton, England, on Wednesday, Dec.18, 2024. (AP Photo/Sean Ryan)

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Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott celebrates after scoring during the English Football Lague Cup soccer match between Southampton and Liverpool in Southampton, England, on Wednesday, Dec.18, 2024. (AP Photo/Sean Ryan)

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Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez scores during the English Football Lague Cup soccer match between Southampton and Liverpool in Southampton, England, on Wednesday, Dec.18, 2024. (AP Photo/Sean Ryan)

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Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the Carabao Cup quarter-final match at St. James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Wednesday Dec. 18, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

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Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus scores a hat-trick and his side’s third goal during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates stadium, in London, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

By STEVE DOUGLAS

Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool advanced in the English League Cup on Wednesday to ensure a heavyweight lineup for the semifinals.

Gabriel Jesus scored a hat trick — including a crucial second goal from an offside position — as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 3-2 to reach the last four for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

Liverpool kept alive its title defense by winning 2-1 at Southampton, with Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott the scorers in the first half for the leaders of the Premier League and Champions League.

Newcastle defeated Brentford 3-1 mainly thanks to two first-half goals by Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali and progressed to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. The Saudi-controlled club from the north east, which hasn’t won a major trophy since 1955, lost in the League Cup final to Manchester United in 2023.

United visits Tottenham on Thursday in the remaining quarterfinal match, guaranteeing that the semifinals will feature four of the biggest teams in the country.

Jesus benefi

ts from no VAR

Jesus had previously only scored one goal in 20 appearances in all competitions this season — and that was also in the English League Cup at second-tier Preston in October.

So the Brazil striker’s first hat trick for Arsenal came as something of a surprise, as did the standard of his finishing.

There was luck for Jesus, too, as replays showed that he was offside when running through to score his goal that made it 2-1 in the 73rd minute at Emirates Stadium. However, there is no video review until the semifinals of the competition so the goal wasn’t ruled out.

Jesus, who had equalized in the 54th with an excellently taken chip over goalkeeper Dean Henderson, completed his hat trick in the 81st by running through unmarked and smashing a low strike past Henderson.

That give his team a two-goal cushion but former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah ensured a nervy finish by heading home a cross in the 85th to make it 3-1. Jean-Philippe Mateta had put Palace ahead in the fourth minute.

Liverpool’s unbeaten run

Liverpool has now gone 20 games unbeaten within a single season in all competitions for the first time since 1996, according to Premier League stats supplier Opta.

Things could hardly be going any better for Arne Slot, who fielded a weakened, heavily rotated team — featuring Japan midfielder Wataru Endo at center back — that still had too much for Southampton.

Nunez particularly enjoyed his goal, which came after he had been jeered by Southampton fans for missing an early chance. After putting Liverpool ahead, he put his finger to his mouth in a “shush” gesture to the home crowd.

Interim coach Simon Rusk took charge of Southampton, the last-place team in the Premier League, following the dismissal of manager Russell Martin on Sunday — hours after a 5-0 loss to Tottenham.

Slot sat in the stands for the match at St. Mary’s stadium as he was serving a touchline suspension after getting booked for the third time this season last weekend.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer