Liverpool beat Chelsea in League Cup shootout, Man City survive scare

Liverpool edged Chelsea in a tense penalty shoot-out to advance to the League Cup quarter-finals, while Manchester City narrowly avoided a scare against Brighton on Wednesday. A 1-1 draw at Anfield during normal time set the scene for the shoot-out, with Chelsea's Morgan Rogers scoring the opening penalty, only for Cody Gakpo to equalize just before halftime.

Chelsea's Valentin Barco hit the crossbar in the shootout before Liverpool's goalkeeper Kostas Tsimikas failed to convert, leaving the score at 3-2 in Liverpool's favor. Ryan Gravenberch's shot was saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders, but Giorgi Mamardashvili thwarted Emmanuel Emegha's attempt to secure a win for the visitors.

Liverpool claimed their place in the next round after Joe Gomez scored for them, while Wesley Fofana's miscue gifted Chelsea control. The clash featured former Liverpool midfielder Andoni Iraola, who marked his third defeat in three visits to Anfield as a manager, following losses with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025.

Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot previously reached the League Cup final in their respective debut campaigns with Liverpool, and Iraola is poised to join their ranks as the 10-time winners continue their quest for more glory.