Liverpool knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Wesley Fofana missing the decisive spot kick in sudden death at Anfield.
Shootout drama at Anfield
Valentin Barco was the first man to miss in the shootout, and his miss presented Kostas Tsimikas with the chance to put the Reds through, but he blazed his effort into the Kop. Jordan Henderson scored the tenth penalty on his return to Anfield to send it into sudden death.
Ryan Gravenberch and Emanuel Emegha missed successive penalties, the latter having the chance to send Chelsea into the next round. But it was the Chelsea defender who fired over, leading to huge celebrations at Anfield.
Penalties decide the game
It was a night of spot kicks, with Morgan Rogers opening the scoring in front of the travelling fans, but the Chelsea lead lasted a matter of minutes before Liverpool themselves were awarded a penalty. Cody Gakpo scored emphatically.
The Reds went into the shootout having lost their last two, which had major consequences. One of those was against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield and the other against PSG in the Champions League.
Andoni Iraola made six changes to his team, but gradually drip fed his quality from the bench. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Bradley Barcola all emerged in the second half.
First-half action
The opening goal of the game came courtesy of a penalty, awarded following a reckless challenge from Ryan Gravenberch on Moises Caicedo. Ex-Red Jordan Henderson held the ball for long periods as huge jeers rained down from the Anfield crowd, but he handed it off to Rogers, who confidently converted.
Chelsea's lead lasted only three minutes as a Wesley Fofana handball from a corner presented Liverpool with the chance to level. Gakpo scored in front of the Kop.
Apart from the two strikes from the spot, it was a first half lacking in goal-mouth action, with neither goalkeeper being regularly called into action.
Second-half chances
Florian Wirtz began the evening on the bench, but with the game still in the balance, Iraola turned to the German just before the hour mark. Mike Penders produced a huge save to deny a Ronald Araujo header, with Rogers racing up the opposite side of the pitch seconds later, only to see his effort blocked.
The Chelsea record signing was instrumental in creating a chance for Marco Palestra, but the full-back's effort was well saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. Not long after, a huge block from Levi Colwill denied Wirtz from close range, but neither side was able to find the goal that would have decided the game inside 90 minutes.
Reds on a roll
Liverpool have now enjoyed five wins on the bounce dating back to their Manchester City loss, with Iraola looking like he is getting on a roll after his summer switch. In that time, the Merseysiders have shown all sides to them—they quashed the Brighton momentum at the weekend, overcame the challenge that is Brentford away, and showcased their powers of recovery against Villarreal in the Champions League.
Getting the better of Chelsea is their latest scalp, and even if the Blues are by no means the side of old, they are still a rival who needed to be dispatched if Liverpool wanted to keep alive their hopes of winning the season's first trophy—which they have done.
Given Iraola's exploits at Bournemouth, plenty was expected, but it has been a slower start than he perhaps would have liked. Nothing quite keeps people happy or builds confidence like winning games, and Liverpool are getting into good habits.
Henderson's frosty return
He was the man who captained Liverpool to their first ever Premier League title, completing a comeback from a man who was once deemed surplus to requirement to one who would lead one of their greatest teams. And yet Henderson still felt the backlash from those who once chanted his name.
The midfielder returned to English football with Brentford, but few would have thought at his age that a move to a heavyweight club remained on the cards. Still, Chelsea came calling in the summer.
Henderson enjoyed a sensational period at Anfield under Klopp, also winning the Champions League, but his decision to leave for Saudi Arabia back in 2023 certainly did not sit well with everyone. This was a player who championed certain causes, which were not even legal in the Middle East, and there was clearly a financial motive behind his move.
His reception at Liverpool serves as a reminder that no player's legacy is guaranteed by what they do whilst playing for a club. How they choose to leave and where they go next can often prove defining.
Reds in blue
In a different world, perhaps Caicedo and Romeo Lavia would both be playing for Liverpool. But in the summer of 2023, both men, who had been on Jurgen Klopp's radar, chose to move to Stamford Bridge.
The Reds actually had a then British-record bid accepted by Brighton as they looked to go after Caicedo, having also been linked with Lavia, then at Southampton, for much of the summer. Caicedo made it known he wanted to move to Chelsea, and eventually got his wish.
Liverpool were denied the chance to pivot to Lavia, with Chelsea, in the midst of another major spending spree, signing him too. Injuries have plagued Lavia, but he is finally fit, and Caicedo has shown that he has been worth the money. The two lined up in midfield together against Liverpool, who had youngster Trey Nyoni and Gravenberch to oppose them.
Caicedo's well-timed run into the box saw him scythed down by Gravenberch, which led to the opening goal, but it was not a night where you thought the two midfields were £140m apart.
