Arsenal's Julio Baptista celebrates after scoring during their English League Cup quarter-final soccer match against Liverpool in Liverpool, northern England yesterday. Baptista scored four times as Arsenal hammered Livepool 6-3. - Reuters

LONDON, (Reuters)

Brazilian forward Julio Baptista scored four goals as Arsenal thumped Liverpool 6-3 in their League Cup quarter-final at Anfield yesterday, three days after knocking them out of the FA Cup on the same ground.

Both teams made nine changes from Saturday's lineups but it was the callow Arsenal side that swept into a 5-1 lead early in the second half thanks to a hat-trick from Baptista.

Steven Gerrard inspired a fight back to 5-3 with a wonderful volley but Liverpool's late charge was ended by a fourth for Baptista, who had managed only one previous goal since his August arrival from Real Madrid.

The stunning victory earned Arsenal a semi-final meeting with north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and left manager Arsene Wenger purring.

"I thought we had the chance to qualify but you don't expect that," he told Sky Sports.

ARSENAL OPENER

Arsenal's 27th-minute opener came out of nothing as centre back Kolo Toure launched a long ball down the middle.

Jeremie Aliadiere, who was an impressive and willing runner all night, brought it down well and beat stand-in goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek at the second attempt.

Robbie Fowler cleverly backheeled the equaliser six minutes later but Arsenal regained the lead five minutes before halftime when Baptista left Dudek helpless when he sent a 25-metre free kick over the wall and into the top right corner.

Alexandre Song bundled in Arsenal's third goal after Dudek failed to reach a cross and Baptista put the fourth into an open net, both goals coming in first-half injury time.

Liverpool were booed off at the break but the crowd got a lift 10 minutes after the restart when Dudek saved a Baptista penalty.

The Brazilian's disappointment lasted all of five minutes though as he completed his hat-trick with a low drive from outside the box to make it 5-1.

Gerrard crashed in a superb volley from the edge of the area in the 68th and then had a free kick touched on to the bar by Manuel Almunia before Sami Hyypia got Liverpool's third 10 minutes from time.

However, great work by Aliadiere set up Baptista for a simple fourth four minutes later to complete the scoring.