Liverpool reached the League Cup quarter-finals after beating Chelsea 6–5 on penalties at Anfield on 28 October. The teams finished the match level at 1–1, leaving the shootout to decide who stayed in the competition.
Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead from the penalty spot in the 40th minute. Cody Gakpo replied with another penalty in the 43rd, restoring parity before the interval. The final score therefore needs two separate numbers: 1–1 in the match and 6–5 in the shootout.
Wesley Fofana sent Chelsea’s final attempt over the bar. That ended a contest in which the margin between reaching the last eight and elimination came down to a single kick after the teams could not be separated in normal time.
Liverpool was not the only major club to need penalties. Manchester City advanced against Brighton after a 2–2 draw and a 4–3 shootout win. The cup round also brought wins for Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland, while Arsenal had already been eliminated by Fleetwood.
The result keeps another route to a trophy open for Liverpool and closes Chelsea’s run in this competition. It does not affect either club’s league points: the League Cup is a separate knockout tournament.
For the immediate reaction, the decisive contrast is simple. Liverpool has a quarter-final to prepare for; Chelsea must absorb an elimination after recovering a level game but failing to win the shootout. The photograph accompanying this article is an archive view of Anfield, not an image of the match or its decisive penalty.
