LIVERPOOL 0-1 STOKE CITY (1-1 AGG, 6-5 PENS): MIGNOLET & ALLEN SEND REDS TO WEMBLEY

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The midfielder netted the winning spot kick after his goalkeeper had denied Marc Muniesa to give Jurgen Klopp the chance to claim his first silverware at Anfield

Joe Allen scored the winning penalty to send Liverpool through to the League Cup final at Wembley despite their 1-0 loss at home to Stoke City.

Allen netted to give the Reds a 6-5 victory from the spot after Marko Arnautovic's goal - scored from an offside position - had levelled the tie at 1-1 on aggregate, with no further goals separating the two sides over 120 minutes.

Peter Crouch, Emre Can and, crucially, Marc Muniesa missed from the spot in a seven-round shootout, with Simon Mignolet denying the Spanish defender to set Allen up to win it.

Liverpool will face either Everton or Manchester City, who meet at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, on February 28.

Liverpool made two changes to their team, with Jon Flanagan coming in for the injured Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana, who scored the winner against Norwich City last time out, replacing Jordon Ibe. 

Stoke made four changes, including handing Crouch a start with a view to capitalising on their opponents's recent struggles to defend set-pieces.

Stoke created the first good chance of the match when a long pass from Erik Pieters caught out the Liverpool defence but Jon Walters's left-footed shot missed the far post.

The hosts' only meaningful attempt in the first half came when Can unleashed a powerful long-range strike that briefly had Jack Butland worried before flashing past the post

Stoke then made the breakthrough in first-half stoppage time with the best move of the match. 

Bojan and Walters combined cleverly before the former Barcelona forward found Arnautovic – who appeared to be marginally offside – to shoot past Simon Mignolet from six yards.

Much has been made of Liverpool's recent failure to cope with set plays but they almost scored from such a situation themselves early in the second half when Firmino lashed Jordan Henderson's lay-off against the foot of the post. 

Christian Benteke replaced Henderson just before the hour-mark as Jurgen Klopp switched to 4-2-3-1 shortly before Sakho headed wide from James Milner's free-kick. 

Liverpool had a late penalty claim turned down after a cross from the right deflected off the arm of Pieters as extra time beckoned.

Firmino tested Butland for the first time with a low shot at the start of the additional 30 minutes before Van Ginkel latched on to Crouch's flick-on and struck the post.

Mignolet got down to save another Van Ginkel effort in the second half of extra time but neither side could find the goal needed to avoid spot-kicks. 

Crouch had a penalty saved by Mignolet and Can struck the post with his attempt but 10 other players found the back of the net as the shootout moved into sudden death.

Muniesa's effort was then impressively kept out by Mignolet to allow Allen to fire into the top corner and send Liverpool back to the final of a competition they have won eight times.