Liverpool eliminate Chelsea on penalties as Alonso downplays Carabao Cup

Liverpool knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup at Anfield on October 29, 2026, after the fourth-round tie finished 1-1 and Liverpool won 6-5 on penalties, Wesley Fofana missing the decisive spot-kick.

Chelsea took the lead in the 40th minute when Morgan Rogers converted a penalty after Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moises Caicedo inside the box, and Liverpool levelled three minutes later through a Cody Gakpo penalty after Fofana handled the ball while attempting to prevent Virgil van Dijk reaching a corner. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso accepted the defeat but played down its significance, insisting the Premier League remained his side's main priority.

Alonso reflected on the result after the draw ended in a shootout and said: "Every time you reach penalties you know that someone will leave feeling that it was harsh to go out of the competition. But we saw a proper cup game, really intense, really close from both sides and it's open for everything at the end with penalties," Alonso said. "This is football. This is part of our job. I've seen a team that was competing and showing a good level. And this is the least important competition for us, the Premier League is the main focus."

Neither side found a winner in the second half, with both goalkeepers making important saves to keep the tie level before the match proceeded to penalties.

In the shootout, Liverpool's Giorgi Mamardashvili stopped Emmanuel Emegha's effort, while Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders saved Ryan Gravenberch's penalty; Joe Gomez converted for Liverpool before Fofana sent Chelsea's decisive kick over the crossbar, leaving Liverpool victorious 6-5 on penalties.

The win extended Liverpool's record of winning all five penalty shootouts against Chelsea and sent them into the quarter-finals, where they will face Bournemouth; the match was a disappointing return to Anfield for Alonso, who won the Champions League with Liverpool as a player in 2005, and Chelsea's cup exit does not end their pursuit of silverware this season, with the Premier League and other competitions still ahead.

Chelsea will turn their attention to the Premier League, with Manchester United scheduled to visit Stamford Bridge on October 31, and the Blues will seek to recover from successive defeats after a 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in their previous league outing; Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League with 13 points from eight matches, having recorded four wins, one draw and three defeats, two points behind fourth-placed Liverpool and eight points adrift of leaders Manchester City, making their league campaign an important focus for Alonso as he looks to keep Chelsea in contention near the top of the table.