Ben Smith· Updated 
They didn’t make it easy for themselves – they seldom do – but Liverpool have reached Wembley for the second successive season, and this time, it’s for a final.
The Reds just didn’t look quite right mentally for 120 minutes on Tuesday night. It looked as though Saturday had taken its toll and a largely unchanged side had little left to give.
But when it mattered most, Liverpool showed bottle and class in the penalty shootout to overcome a tough Stoke City test.
Player ratings ahead.
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