Xabi Alonso suffered defeat on his return to Anfield as Liverpool knocked his Chelsea side out of the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout.
Wesley Fofana skied the decisive penalty for the Blues, who had also seen Valentin Barco and Emmanuel Emegha miss earlier in the shootout, with the hosts ultimately triumphing 6-5.
The two teams had exchanged penalties across the 90 minutes, with Chelsea having taken the lead through Morgan Rogers.
Rogers converted from the spot after Ryan Gravenberch had carelessly brought down Moises Caicedo five minutes before half-time.
Liverpool levelled before the break with a penalty of their own after Fofana handled from a corner, with Cody Gakpo scoring the equaliser.
A dramatic shoot-out followed a second half stalemate with both teams passing up initial penalties to win the tie, before Fofana blazed over to send Liverpool into the quarter-finals.
Wesley Fofana blazed his penalty over the bar as Liverpool overcame Chelsea in a shootout
Xabi Alonso suffered defeat as he returned to Anfield for the first time as Chelsea manager
LIVERPOOL (4-1-4-1)
Giorgi Mamardashvili – 7
Hardly a save to make as Chelsea’s one and only shot on target in the first half was a goal – Morgan Rogers scoring from the penalty spot after Ryan Gravenberch’s gift. Denied Rogers and Pedro Neto thereafter as this tie went to penalties, won by Liverpool.
Joe Gomez – 7
The Liverpool corner was flying towards him when Wesley Fofana fancied flapping his hand in front of Gomez’s head for some inexplicable reason. Handball. Penalty. Hardly put a foot wrong in this tie.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Danny Welbeck occasionally bemoaned the service, but it was largely down to Van Dijk reading what was happening and intercepting. Malo Gusto tried to get him in bother for standing on his toe.
Ronald Araujo – 6
Got away with bringing down Rogers from behind, which the referee saw as more of a tangle than a deliberate foul. Header denied by Mike Penders. Either side of the Chelsea goalkeeper and it would have been 2-1.
Kostas Tsimikas – 6
Flew forward in support of Rio Ngumoha with Liverpool’s left-hand side a constant threat throughout the first half. Got away with sending his spot-kick over Chelsea’s goal in the shootout.
Ryan Gravenberch’s clumsy challenge on Moises Caicedo gifted Chelsea their penalty
Trey Nyoni – 7
The teenager did not seem daunted to be up against a Henderson-Caicedo-Lavia midfield. Showed his instincts with the odd interception and coped well.
Lewis Koumas – 6
The 21-year-old was over-enthusiastic in challenging Maxence Lacroix, earning himself an early yellow. The left-hand side of Liverpool’s attack was more involved than their right.
Ryan Gravenberch – 4
Just did not need to make the challenge. Moises Caicedo was going away from the goal when Gravenberch slid in on him. So unnecessary. An obvious penalty which left Liverpool trailing. Then saw his spot-kick saved by Penders at the shootout.
James McConnell – 6
Cautioned for handling the ball to kill a Chelsea counter-attack – at least Cole Palmer wasn’t here to barge into him like he did after Mateus Fernandes’ handball for Tottenham. Looked comfortable.
Rio Ngumoha – 8
Formerly of Chelsea, who weren’t too happy to lose him, and he gave multiple glimpses of what they lost when he was taking on another graduate in Josh Acheampong. Like a yellow card magnet for his opponents. Easily the most entertaining player to watch here.
Rio Ngumoha was easily the most entertaining player to watch in the fourth round clash
Cody Gakpo – 6
After Chelsea accepted their penalty gift, so too did Liverpool, with Gakpo stepping up to make it 1-1 as he sent Penders the wrong way.
SUBS USED
Bradley Barcola (for Koumas, 59) – 6
Thought he had scored with a low strike from distance for 2-1, only to be denied by Penders, who he did beat in the shootout.
Florian Wirtz (for McConnell, 59) – 6
Part of a £239million double substitution for Liverpool as Andoni Iraola called on Wirtz and Barcola to go win this for Liverpool. Denied by a brilliant block from Colwill.
Jeremy Jacquet (for Van Dijk, 72) – 6
Chelsea wanted him when he was at Rennes. Liverpool won him after he chose them. On the winning side eventually from 12 yards.
Alexis Mac Allister (for Nyoni, 82) – N/A
Alexander Isak (for Ngumoha, 82) – N/A
MANAGER
Andoni Iraola – 6
The more threatening side in the first half, which finished 1-1. With £575million worth of talent on his bench, he soon called on his big names in search of the winner. Relied on penalties to emerge victorious.
CHELSEA
Mike Penders – 7
Was looking long over and over again – bizarrely towards Pedro Neto – until his team-mates told him to calm it down. Conceded a penalty to Gakpo for 1-1. Reactive save to deny Araujo, and got down low to stop Barcola. Did his best in the shootout.
Josh Acheampong – 7
A one-v-one battle made in Cobham – Acheampong v Ngumoha. It was a thrilling one from the get-go. Eventually cautioned for hacking down the lively winger.
Maxence Lacroix – 6
As half-time approached, Lacroix was trying to defend a Liverpool attack when he pulled up holding his left hamstring. He dropped down, and his day was done, replaced by Levi Colwill. Muscular injuries are becoming an unfortunate theme for Chelsea.
Wesley Fofana – 3
Moment of madness minutes after Chelsea had made it 1-0. Threw his hand at a corner to gift Liverpool their penalty. May as well have caught the ball and popped it on the spot for them. Then he skied his own penalty in the shootout to leave Liverpool as the victors.
Wesley Fofana’s careless handball provided Liverpool with their chance to level the tie
Malo Gusto – 4
His pass helped Chelsea win their penalty, but he otherwise lost possession as if his boots were on backwards, even sending the ball out of play for a Liverpool corner when under no pressure. Otherwise spent his time searching for cheap fouls.
Jordan Henderson – 6
Booed by a section of Liverpool supporters every time he was on the ball. Toyed with his former fans as if he was going to take Chelsea’s penalty, only to then give it to Rogers.
Moises Caicedo – 7
Had complained to the referee a few times that he wasn’t being awarded free-kicks for fouls. But then he got his penalty when Gravenberch stupidly slid in on him.
Romeo Lavia – 6
First start since September 12 and remarkably his first-ever competitive full 90 for Chelsea. The visitors saw more possession in the second half, which was aided by him aggressively winning back the ball.
Pedro Neto – 6
Chelsea fans hoped Estevao would start, but Xabi Alonso trusts Neto, who is a Duracell Bunny forever willing to do the defensive work. That was needed to help Acheampong against Ngumoha.
Danny Welbeck struggled to get into the game after being given the chance to lead the line
Danny Welbeck – 5
Deputised for the injured Joao Pedro after going ignored in the line-up against Tottenham on Saturday. Struggled to get into the game.
Morgan Rogers – 6
Wanted a penalty when Araujo brought him down and got nothing. But when Caicedo was fouled by Gravenberch, he buried his spot-kick for 1-0. Missed his mates, Palmer and Joao Pedro.
SUBS USED
Levi Colwill (for Lacroix, 45) – 6
Lacroix could hardly walk after his hamstring injury so on came Colwill, immediately getting into the game with an aggressive foul. Crucial block to deny Wirtz.
Marco Palestra (for Gusto, 68) – 6
The cheer said it all. Chelsea fans were glad to see the back of Gusto. Palestra went over to the left, and forced a fine save out of Mamardashvili.
Emmanuel Emegha (for Welbeck, 68) – 5
First action of this match – and indeed of his Chelsea career – was to leave a deliberate barge in on Van Dijk when nowhere near the ball. He had the chance to be the hero at the shootout, but his spot-kick was saved by Mamardashvili. Agonising for the debutant.
Valentin Barco (for Caicedo, 68) – 5
He added the little stutter into his penalty run-up, and hit the post, though Fofana was ultimately the one who spooned the costliest spot-kick to leave Chelsea with the loss.
MANAGER
Xabi Alonso – 5
He will face scrutiny around his lack of use of Estevao, who did not even come on as a substitute despite Chelsea’s travelling supporters singing for ‘Steve’ over and over.
