Raheem Sterling’s first goals since mid-September helped Liverpool end a miserable seven days with a place in the League Cup semi-finals at the expense of Bournemouth, as Tottenham obliterated Newcastle 4-0 to secured their place in the last four, last night.

England winger Sterling had endured a 22-game goal drought for club and country until he set Liverpool on their way to a 3-1 away win with a close-range header.

Lazar Markovic, fresh from his controversial red card as the Reds exited Europe, grabbed the second before a trademark Sterling run ended with his fifth of the season to put the smiles back on the faces of supporters after their Old Trafford defeat.

Dan Gosling, who memorably netted a cup winner to beat Liverpool in his Everton days, pulled a goal back and then rattled a post as the Championship leaders relinquished their 12-game unbeaten run.

The recent improvements were evident at White Hart Lane as Nabil Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli, Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado all scored in the demolishment of Newcastle.

It puts Spurs within a two-legged semi-final of Wembley and help make amends for October’s embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Alan Pardew’s men at White Hart Lane.

They certainly impressed in laying that ghost to rest, with Bentaleb capitalising on a mistake by Newcastle’s third-choice goalkeeper, Jak Alnwick, to turn home midway through the first half.

It was a lead doubled by Chadli seconds after half-time and, once Massadio Haidara cleared a Jan Vertonghen header off the line, Kane put the game out of sight.

It continued the England U-21 international’s record of scoring in every round of this season’s competition and his replacement Soldado added extra gloss, slotting home from close range after Christian Eriksen’s initial effort was saved.

Semi-finals draw
Liverpool vs Chelsea
Tottenham vs Sheffield United

Note: Two-legged ties to be played January 20/21 and 27/28.