The Liverpool Chelsea last 16 tie at Anfield ended the way Chelsea feared. Liverpool won 6-5 on penalties to book a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, and Chelsea lost yet another shootout against the Reds.
Wesley Fofana sent the decisive kick high into the Kop. It was the fifth time Chelsea have gone to penalties against Liverpool and the fifth time they have lost.
Liverpool Chelsea Penalty History Repeats Itself
Chelsea had good reason to be nervous once this tie headed for spot-kicks. They had faced Liverpool in four previous shootouts and lost every one.
Those defeats came in the 2007 Champions League semi-final and the 2019 Uefa Super Cup final. They also lost the FA Cup and League Cup finals of 2022 on penalties.
Fofana’s miss added a new chapter to that record. He was not alone in failing from the spot.
Mamardashvili Denies Emegha
Emmanuel Emegha had the chance to win it for Xabi Alonso’s side. Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saved his effort superbly and kept the Reds alive.
Kostas Tsimikas then had the chance to win it for Liverpool, as he did at Wembley in 2022. He fired over the bar instead, even though Liverpool were one kick from the last eight.
Ryan Gravenberch and Valentin Barco also failed to convert in the shootout. Fofana’s miss finally settled it.
Alonso and Henderson Return to Anfield
The night carried extra edge because of the familiar faces on the Chelsea side. Alonso and Jordan Henderson both returned to Anfield after spells as Liverpool midfielders.
Their reception was cooler than on previous visits with Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid and Brentford. Given the club they came back with, that was probably the best they could expect.
Alonso did receive a warm embrace before kick-off from his childhood friend Andoni Iraola. Henderson faced pantomime booing every time he touched the ball.
Surprise Selections From Both Basque Coaches
Both managers made surprising selections, more in positioning than in personnel. Iraola made seven changes from Sunday’s win over Brighton. Lewis Koumas started on the right of Liverpool’s attack, with Cody Gakpo leading the line.
Alonso was without the injured João Pedro and the suspended Cole Palmer. He turned to his experienced players as he looked for a reaction after Chelsea’s home defeat by Tottenham.
Danny Welbeck played in attack, closely supported by Henderson in the number ten role. That pairing would have seemed unlikely before this season. Estêvão did not make the starting line-up again.
A Fast Start With Little Goalmouth Action
The tie was quick and committed, but clear chances were rare. Koumas picked up an early booking for a challenge on Maxence Lacroix.
Rio Ngumoha excited the home crowd with several eye-catching runs down the left. His teammates could not deliver the final ball.
Neither goalkeeper faced a serious test until the penalties arrived.
Two Penalties in Four Minutes
The game came to life with two spot-kicks in quick succession. Chelsea were first.
Malo Gusto played a cleverly disguised pass to release Moisés Caicedo inside the Liverpool area. Gravenberch clipped Caicedo from behind as they moved away from goal. Henderson carried the ball to the spot with a smile, to louder boos, and handed it to Morgan Rogers. Rogers sent Mamardashvili the wrong way with a confident finish.
Liverpool then won a penalty of their own. Caicedo and Fofana challenged Virgil van Dijk at a Tsimikas corner, and the ball hit Fofana’s raised hand. Gakpo went low to Mike Penders’ right, and the Chelsea goalkeeper dived the other way.
Referee Gets Both Calls Right
Referee Darren England awarded both penalties immediately, and both decisions were correct. The match was played without a video assistant referee, and the game benefited as a spectacle.
Iraola might have felt differently had Rogers scored later. Rogers appeared to control a chip from Pedro Neto with his arm, but Mamardashvili’s save avoided any controversy.
Substitutes Shape the Second Half
Chelsea needed to take control of the contest before Iraola brought on his big names. Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola arrived in the 59th minute with the game still evenly balanced.
Gusto helped fuel the atmosphere by collapsing twice in apparent agony after contact from Penders. Penders was keen to make up for a costly error against Spurs, and he took centre stage for Chelsea. He saved a flying header from Ronald Araujo at close range.
Gomez Works Hard to Keep Chelsea Out
Joe Gomez supplied the cross for Araujo’s chance. He then raced back to block a shot from Rogers after Chelsea broke away on the counter-attack.
Penders also made a fine save from Barcola. The France international cut inside from the right, and his low shot was heading for the bottom corner.
Chelsea Finish Strongly but Cannot Break Through
Alonso’s side improved more than Liverpool through their substitutes and finished the stronger team. Rogers was involved in several promising openings.
Marco Palestra had the best chance after Rogers released him with a perfectly weighted pass. Mamardashvili produced an excellent low save to his right.
Wirtz also had a late chance to seal victory for Liverpool. His effort came from a Gakpo knock-down, but it struck Levi Colwill and was eventually cleared.
That left the tie to be settled from the spot, and Chelsea had a familiar feeling.
What the Result Means
Liverpool now move into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Chelsea’s wait for a shootout win over the Reds goes on.
For Iraola, it was a night of rotation and resilience. For Alonso, it was a painful return to Anfield and a setback just days after the loss to Tottenham.
Final Word
The Liverpool Chelsea tie delivered what these two clubs often produce: tension, drama and a nervy finish. Both goalkeepers had their moments, but Mamardashvili’s save from Emegha proved decisive.
Fofana’s miss sent Anfield into celebration and Chelsea into another round of penalty regret.