Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to reach League Cup last eight

Liverpool have reached the League Cup quarter-finals after beating Chelsea on penalties at Anfield, according to IOL, which carried an AFP report. Holders Manchester City also went through on Wednesday, but only after a shoot-out of their own against Brighton.

Liverpool edge a tense shoot-out

The last-16 tie pitted two managers who grew up as friends, Liverpool’s Andoni Iraola and Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso. It finished 1-1 after normal time. Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea the lead from the penalty spot in the 40th minute, after Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moises Caicedo. Three minutes later Cody Gakpo levelled, also from the spot, after Wesley Fofana was penalised for handball.

The shoot-out was full of misses. Valentin Barco hit the post for Chelsea, and Kostas Tsimikas had a chance to win it for Liverpool but sent his effort over the bar. Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders stopped Gravenberch, and Liverpool’s Giorgi Mamardashvili then saved from Emmanuel Emegha. Joe Gomez converted for Liverpool, and Fofana put the next Chelsea kick into the Kop to settle it.

Alonso, a former Liverpool midfielder, has now lost on all three of his visits to Anfield as a coach. The earlier defeats came with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025. Iraola said he was “really happy” and pointed to three straight home wins, after Liverpool had struggled at Anfield in the league. They host Arsenal on Sunday. Alonso said the “Premier League is the main focus” for his side.

Iraola’s team will face Bournemouth, his former club, in the quarter-finals.

City survive Brighton scare

At the Etihad Stadium, City drew 2-2 with Brighton and won the shoot-out. Enzo Maresca changed nine players from the side that lost at Aston Villa on Saturday, a result that ended City’s perfect start to the league season. Erling Haaland and Gianluigi Donnarumma were among those rested.

Malick Yalcouye put Brighton ahead after 30 minutes, and Mateo Kovacic equalised with a curling strike from 25 yards. Georginio Rutter restored Brighton’s lead shortly after the break, and Vitor Reis deflected in a Rayan Cherki free-kick in the 72nd minute to make it 2-2.

In the shoot-out, Jason Steele saved Kovacic’s penalty, but Geronimo Rulli stopped efforts from Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk to put City through. They now play third-tier Bradford for a place in the semi-finals. City and Brighton meet again at the Etihad in the league on Saturday.

Other last-16 results

• Bournemouth beat Aston Villa 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
• Crystal Palace won 1-0 at Fulham, easing some pressure on coach Pierre Sage. They host Sunderland in the next round.
• Sunderland beat Brentford 3-2 at the Stadium of Light.
• Fourth-tier Fleetwood knocked out Arsenal on penalties on Tuesday. They will play the winners of Thursday’s Everton v Newcastle tie.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.