Redknapp revolution gathers pace as Spurs sink Liverpool

Harry Redknapp's Tottenham revolution gathered pace as the League Cup holders trounced Liverpool 4-2 in the League Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

Roman Pavlyuchenko and Fraizer Campbell helped themselves to braces as Liverpool produced a hapless defensive performance and, while the visitors hit back after the interval with headed goals from Damien Plessis and Sami Hyypia, Spurs' hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals were never seriously in doubt.

The only sour point for the holders was a serious injury to their goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

The Brazilian was struck on the head by Philipp Deggen as he saved at his feet midway through the second half and was stretchered off following five minutes of treatment.

Gomes had to have an oxygen mask applied to his face and was taken straight to hospital.

The sight of Gomes being wheeled away put Liverpool's woes into their proper context, but this was still an evening to forget for Rafael Benitez, who paid the price for treating this fixture as little more than an irksome distraction.

Just to underline the point, the Spaniard made 10 changes to the team which flattened West Bromwich Albion last weekend, fielding a clutch of fringe players in a bid to keep his A-listers fresh for the weekend trip to Bolton.

There was just one notable exception. Benitez granted Fernando Torres, fit again after a five-week injury lay-off with a hamstring complaint, a start in a bid to rebuild his match sharpness.

There is, however, only so much one man can do. Torres may have put Tottenham's notoriously porous back four on red alert but his team's utter lack of cohesion in a scrappy first half effectively rendered him redundant.

And on the few occasions he did touch the ball, his heaviness of touch and sluggish turn of pace suggested it will take more time for him to rediscover his pep.

Spurs, in contrast, exuded confidence. Campbell might have opened his account in the 10th minute when an outswinging cross from the left was nodded down at the far post by Pavlyuchenko, only for the Manchester United loanee to miss the dropping ball by centimetres.

Liverpool wobbled again eight minutes later after another fine cross, this time by Gareth Bale, prompted more panic.

After Tom Huddlestone failed to apply a finishing touch, Aaron Lennon scooped up the loose ball, cut inside Hyypia but saw his low drive well blocked by Daniel Agger.

Tottenham looked sure to troop off for the interval frustrated, but Liverpool collapsed just before the interval. In the 37th minute, Campbell scampered to the left by-line and cut back to the unmarked Pavlyuchenko, who drilled through Diego Cavalieri's legs.

Pavlyuchenko saw another shot well blocked by Cavalieri but Spurs kept pressing. Four minutes later, Jamie O'Hara's lofted ball into the area should have been cleared by Andreas Dossena or Cavalieri. Instead, Campbell nipped in between them, controlled the pass on his chest and nonchalantly rolled into the corner of the net.

In the final moments of the first half, O'Hara swung in another inviting cross and Campbell, left inexplicably unmarked, headed in with ease.

The defending was equally chaotic after the interval, although Spurs did their best to share the mistakes around.

Two Ryan Babel corners led to two identikit goals – the first headed in by Plessis in the 48th minute, the other by Hyypia – while sandwiched in between was another routine strike for Pavlyuchenko, who converted Didier Zokora's cross from close range.