Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in Carabao Cup, City survive Brighton scare

Liverpool beat Chelsea in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to reach the League Cup quarter-finals, while holders Manchester City survived a scare against Brighton on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Liverpool advanced after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Anfield. Chelsea's Morgan Rogers netted from the spot in the 40th minute after Ryan Gravenberch clattered into Moises Caicedo. Liverpool were level three minutes later when Cody Gakpo converted a penalty following Wesley Fofana's handball.

In the shoot-out, Chelsea's Valentin Barco hit the post before Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas blazed over. Ryan Gravenberch was denied by Chelsea keeper Mike Penders, but Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Emmanuel Emegha's kick to keep Liverpool alive.

After Joe Gomez scored for Liverpool, Blues defender Wesley Fofana miscued into the Kop as the hosts advanced.

The match was a clash between childhood friends Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso, with the Liverpool manager taking the bragging rights in the last-16 tie.

It was Alonso's third defeat in his three visits to Anfield as a manager, following losses with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025.

Alonso made four changes to the Chelsea side that lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham on Saturday, while Iraola made seven changes from Liverpool's 2-0 win against Brighton on Sunday.

Iraola said his side were really happy, noting that three wins at home in a row was very important after struggling at home in the league.

He added that Liverpool now go against Arsenal on Sunday and will face his former club Bournemouth in the last eight.

Alonso said every time a team reaches penalties, someone will feel it is harsh to go out of the competition, adding that Chelsea were showing a good level and that the Premier League is the main focus.

At the Etihad Stadium, City were pushed to the brink by Brighton in a 2-2 draw before winning on penalties. City boss Enzo Maresca made nine changes after Saturday's loss at Aston Villa, which ended the leaders' 100 percent start to the Premier League campaign.

Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Elliot Anderson and Gianluigi Donnarumma were among the City stars rested. Brighton went in front after 30 minutes when Malick Yalcouye steered Georginio Rutter's shot past Geronimo Rulli from five yards.

Mateo Kovacic hauled City level 20 minutes later with a fine finish that curled into the far corner from 25 yards. Rutter restored Brighton's lead two minutes after half-time, slotting home from Jaouen Hadjam's cut-back.

Vitor Reis deflected in Rayan Cherki's 72nd-minute free-kick to equalise for City.

In the shoot-out, Kovacic's penalty was saved by Jason Steele, but Geronimo Rulli denied Brighton's Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk to send City into the last eight. The sides meet again in the Premier League at the Etihad on Saturday. City will meet third-tier Bradford for a place in the semi-finals.

Carabao Cup fourth-round results reported by The Hindu and Hindustan Times

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Sources

• The Hindu

• Hindustan Times

• Photo: Timmy96, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)