Liverpool beat Chelsea in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the League Cup quarter-finals, while holders Manchester City survived a scare against Brighton on Wednesday.
In a clash between childhood friends Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso, it was the Liverpool manager who took the bragging rights in the last-16 tie at Anfield with 6-5 result in the tie-breaker.
Andoni Iraola. Pic/AFP
A 1-1 draw in normal time set the stage for the shoot-out as Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers netted from the spot, only for Cody Gakpo to equalise with a penalty of his own just before half-time. Liverpool midfielder 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. In their debut campaigns at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot both reached the League Cup final and Iraola is on course to follow in their footsteps with the 10-time winners of the competition.
“We are really happy. Three wins at home in a row is very important. We were struggling at home in the league, but now we go against Arsenal on Sunday,” said Iraola, who will face his former club Bournemouth in the last eight.
At the Etihad Stadium, City were pushed to the brink by Brighton in a 2-2 draw before winning 4-3 on penalties. 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 Man City.
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