REDS CRASH OUT OF CARLING CUP

Liverpool have been knocked out of the Carling Cup after going down 4-2 against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane

Frazier Campbell and Roman Pavlyuchenko both scored twice for the north-London club, while Damien Plessis and Sami Hyypia found the net for the Reds.

It was an absorbing tie from start to finish, but Liverpool ultimately paid the price for some relaxed marking and unforced errors.

Aaron Lennon caused the Reds all sorts of problems in the opening exchanges and put a great ball in on three minutes, but it was too high to cause any real danger in the Reds penalty area.

Things continued in this vein for much of the first period and the Liverpool defence struggled to deal with the attacking threat of Jamie O'Hara and Aaron Lennon on the left and right flank respectively.

Roman Pavlyuchenko headed back across goal on the 15-minute mark from a dangerous O'Hara cross in search of Frazier Campbell, but Sami Hyppia managed to put himself in the way of the follow-up.

Harry Redknapp and his new assistant might have been disappointed not to get a penalty for the alleged handball form the Finnish international, but Rafa Benitez was also incensed by the incident and sprang from the dugout to bark orders at his players.

Then it was Daniel Agger's turn to put himself in the way of a Tottenham attack. The Great Dane put in a great block from a measured Aaron Lennon shot inside the Reds' penalty area on 21 minutes.

The ball fell to the unmarked Lennon from a whipped in but overhit Spurs cross and the wideman had time to pick his spot, but Agger got in the way to keep the scores at 0-0.

But Liverpool were being overrun in the midfield and it was only a matter of time until they were made to pay for the space they were affording the Spurs forwards.

Where Harry Redknapp's men had out and out clear chances during the first half, Liverpool couldn't put the killer touch on a succession of attacks and couldn't find a way to unlock the Spurs' rearguard.

Frazier Campbell jinked in down the left flank non 38 minutes to pull the ball back for an unmarked Roman Pavlyuchenko, who made no mistake from close range to put Spurs 1-0 up.

Campbell went from provider to scorer four minutes later and made it 2-0 after a comedy of errors in the Reds penalty area. A lofted ball from Michael Dawson led to Dossena charging into Cavalieri to leave Campbell with an empty net.

Campbell couldn't believe his luck and easily put the ball into an empty net despite a somewhat acute angle.

Liverpool's nightmare continued minutes later and Campbell got on the end of a Lennon cross to put Spurs 3-0 before the end of the half.

Three goals in eight first-half minutes and Liverpool looked out for the count, but they got a quick goal from the kick-off in the second half to give themselves a fighting chance.

Torres won a corner from the kick-off for Liverpool and, although the kick came to nothing, it proved to be the first sign of a new spring in the Reds' step.

The Spanish starlet was heavily involved again two minutes later and won the ball in midfield to set away Ryan Babel down the left flam

Damien Plessis rose to head home from the corner past Nuno Gomes, who was particularly suspect and should have really done better with it.

But Plessis wasn't complaining and the goal was all that Liverpool deserved after turning on the pressure for more than they had done for the whole of the first period.

Liverpool might have been looking for an Istanbul-like revival, but their hopes were dashed when Didier Zakora darted into the Liverpool box to find Pavyluchenko unmarked, who made sure he hit the target and made it four for Spurs via a deflection on 52 minutes.

Gareth Bale came close to making it five a minute later, but Lucas headed out for a Spurs corner.

But Spurs weren't finished yet and Campbell nearly completed his hat-trick from the corner kick when he headed inches wide of Cavalieri's goal.

After a tired Torres was withdrawn, Ngog played up front on his own with El Zhar supporting in behind him. Babel went onto the right flank, while Insua took up the left-wing berth.

The change added some spark to the proceedings and El Zhar took on half the Spurs defence in the 63rd minute before playing it over to Insua whose shot deflected over for another corner.

Corners proved to be our best form of attack during this match and we found the net again through a classic Sami Hyypia header on 63 minutes.

El Zhar was involved again to test the shaky Gomes, and the Brazilian fumbled again but collected second time around.

The Spurs stopper then came off worse from a clash with Philipp Degen on 68 minutes. The Swiss full-back cut in from the outside to go through on goal, but the Brazilian clattered into Degen and went down from the challenge.

It was just a 50-50 challenge between the pair and it proved to be the last part Gomes would play in the match. Cesar Sanchez was brought into that action to take his place after Gomes was stretchered off.

But Degen continued to press up the right and found himself in a great space again on 82 minutes.

Gareth Bale took down Degen in the area to spark penalty appeals from the travelling Kop, but referee Mike Riley waved play on.

But Degen was injured in the exchange and Stephen Darby came on to replace him.

It was very much a case of game on from that moment on and Lucas, Agger and Babel took up advanced positions.

An incredible nine minutes of stoppage time inspired Liverpool to go all out and reduce the arrears before the final whistle, but ultimately it wasn't to be and the Cup holders marched on to claim a quarter-final spot.

*artical from liverpoolfc.tv