Tottenham Hotspur reached the League Cup final after ending a nine-year winless streak against Arsenal on Tuesday, an emphatic 5-1 victory earning a 6-2 aggregate triumph over their weakened north London neighbours.
Tottenham had not beaten Arsenal in 21 games, including last year's semi-finals, but were always in command against Arsene Wenger's second string after Jermaine Jenas put them 1-0 up after three minutes of the second leg at White Hart Lane. When Steed Malbranque slotted the fifth in injury time to secure their biggest win over Arsenal for 25 years, the Spurs fans were in heaven.
The three-times winners next face holders Chelsea or Everton, who meet at Goodison Park on Wednesday with the Londoners 2-1 up, in the February 24 final at Wembley. "It's fantastic, the lads worked their socks off and it was well deserved," Spurs captain Robbie Keane told Sky Sports. "I've been here a long time and it's been a long wait to get to a final.
Jenas, who put Spurs ahead early in the first leg, did it again on Tuesday as he strode through a hesitant defence to plant a low shot beyond inexperienced goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. The hosts doubled their lead after 27 minutes when Nicklas Bendtner headed a Jenas free kick into his own net. Spurs fans were celebrating but, aware they led by the same score in the first leg of last year's semi-final, there was concern three minutes later when Dimitar Berbatov hit the post.
The third goal eventually arrived three minutes into the second half when Berbatov sent Keane through and the Irishman, who notched his 100th goal for the club at the weekend, began his second century with a shot Fabianksi should probably have saved. Bendtner hit the bar with an acrobatic volley a minute later before Keane turned provider on the hour to set up Aaron Lennon for the fourth.
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