Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo look reborn under Andoni Iraola as Liverpool make 10 changes but still dump Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup to pile pressure on Roberto De Zerbi

One feels unwanted amid a contract stand-off, the other the opposite after a summer departure was kiboshed – but Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo combined to lethal effect to kickstart Liverpool's Carabao Cup campaign.

Andoni Iraola made ten changes but his side still dumped Tottenham Hotspur out of the competition to pile the pressure on Roberto De Zerbi.

The victory was rounded off by a goal-of-the-season contender from Dominik Szoboszlai, an audacious strike from distance after the Hungarian chested down a loose ball 30 yards out.

It was Iraola's first domestic victory at Anfield after winning in Europe last week, and the architects were two men who flirted with the exit door this summer.

First up was Mac Allister, the Argentine who last week revealed he was 'very sad' with the club for not putting a new contract on the table for him and saying they were not in a position to extend his deal at the club.

He has talked the talk but is walking the walk, this his second goal in the two starts since then after a starring role and strike against Atletico Madrid six days ago.

Sadly for the midfielder and his camp, including father Carlos, it appears Liverpool are benefiting from the uncertainty around him. He is playing with a point to prove and this frustrated version of Mac Allister is markedly better than the sloppy, lethargic version of last term.

Then there is Gakpo. Had the summer window panned out ever so slightly differently, the Dutchman would be at Manchester City or Spurs right now, with both clubs at different times confident of signing him during a saga that felt like it was destined to end with an exit.

But Liverpool ultimately pulled the plug on those moves and, like his fellow goal-scorer, Gakpo is flying once more, with two goals and three assists in his first five appearances of the season.

Both cases should serve as a reminder to fans to not write off players so quickly. Neither were anywhere near their best last term but both have looked reborn under Iraola.

In this modern society, people crave instant success – not just in football – but Liverpool transfer chiefs will also be quietly pleased that they did not give up on two assets who are clearly both extremely talented players.

Tottenham, meanwhile, came here with pressure already mounting on boss De Zerbi given they had failed to score in the first four league games. The Italian's honeymoon period is well in the rear-view mirror and he desperately needed to give fans something to cheer about.

They were in good voice, the roughly 6,000 who had made the midweek journey, but were left cursing early on as Lucas Bergvall missed a chance that looked easier to score than squander in the first minutes.

It was a moment to sum up their profligacy in front of goal, as Destiny Udogie picked out his team-mate to score at point-blank range but the Swede shot straight at the legs of Liverpool's deputy goalkeeper, big Giorgi Mamardashvili. A fine stop but a sitter missed.

An equally as dangerous opportunity arose later in the half when Mohammed Kudus somehow got underneath a ball from Mathys Tel's cross and put his effort into the Kop from close range. De Zerbi is a supremely talented boss but needs to start working his magic.

His team were left to chase another game when Mac Allister opened the scoring on 21 minutes. The goal came from a rasping ball from stand-in captain Joe Gomez, on his first appearance of the season, picking out Gakpo.

The Dutchman played an incisive pass to fellow winger Rio Ngumoha, who cut inside from the right wing and, via the help of Udogie's toe, moved the ball into the path of Mac Allister to curl one past a helpless Martin Dubravka.

Mac Allister could have added a second on 39 minutes when Lewis Koumas, the energetic forward from the academy, picked him out in the six-yard box. In Mac Allister's defence, the cross had a bit too much power on it and was difficult to bring under control.

Koumas is one of several youngsters trusted by Iraola in this new era. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City and was a substitute in the play-off final. Few then could have foreseen his rise but his hard work, attitude and pressing ability have impressed Iraola.

Liverpool made it two shortly after half time when Gakpo unleashed a thumping finish after Mac Allister's assist. Like the first goal, Ngumoha played a role.

But nothing is straightforward for Liverpool these days and Anfield was soon transformed into a theatre of nerves once more as Conor Gallagher headed home a Matheus Fernandes corner. Goalkeeper Mamardashvili, a hero earlier, flapped at the cross and was at fault.

But the big Georgian soon atoned with the sort of stop he was signed for. Omar Marmoush had cut in from the left and looked to curl a shot, Ronald Araujo put a leg in the way that seemed to deflect the ball from the goalkeeper's path but a big hand came from nowhere to tip it over.

Substitute Alexander Isak thought he had won a penalty in the 88th minute when his shot was blocked by the arm of Tosin but there is no VAR in operation until the semi-final.

It did not matter as vice-captain Szoboszlai unleashed a thunderous strike from distance similar to one another Reds No 8, Steven Gerrard, once scored.