Liverpool and Manchester City both survived penalty shootouts to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, turning two closely fought fourth-round ties into a late-night test of nerve.
At Anfield, Liverpool and Chelsea finished 1–1 after trading first-half penalties. Manchester City and Brighton were locked at 2–2 at the Etihad, where the holders had to come from behind twice. Both ties were decided from the spot, with the goalkeepers playing a decisive role in the outcomes.
Confirmed: Liverpool edge Chelsea after extended shootout
Chelsea went ahead through Morgan Rogers from the penalty spot, but Liverpool replied soon after when Cody Gakpo converted a spot-kick of his own. Neither side found another goal in normal time, despite chances at both ends and saves from Mike Penders and Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The shootout remained level through its first sequence and moved into sudden death. Liverpool’s Joe Gomez converted, then Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana sent the next attempt over the bar. That settled a 6–5 shootout win for Liverpool and ended Chelsea’s cup run.
Confirmed: City recover twice before Rulli’s saves
Brighton struck first through Malick Yalcuyé, but Mateo Kovačić levelled for City before the break. Georginio Rutter restored Brighton’s lead early in the second half; Vitor Reis equalised for the hosts to make it 2–2.
City then prevailed 4–3 on penalties. Goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli saved Brighton’s final two attempts, while Rayan Cherki converted the winning kick. The result sends the holders into the last eight after a tie in which they repeatedly had to respond to Brighton’s advances.
FootyTactix analysis: small moments decided two big ties
The headline is that two of England’s leading clubs advanced, but the manner of their progress matters. Neither Liverpool nor City could settle the contest in open play. Both needed a goalkeeper to produce at the decisive moment and a final penalty taker to keep composure under pressure.
Liverpool’s match was particularly fine-lined. The only goals came from penalties, and the tie stayed alive through a sequence in which both teams had opportunities to finish it. Gomez’s successful kick gave Liverpool the advantage; Fofana’s miss made it conclusive. For Chelsea, the exit will sting because the side remained level for the full 90 minutes and reached sudden death before being eliminated.
City’s route was different but no less demanding. Brighton twice moved ahead, and the hosts had to find a response each time. Kovačić and Reis supplied the goals that kept the holders in the tie; Rulli then took over in the shootout. That resilience is useful in a knockout competition, although two cup victories on penalties do not by themselves establish how either side will perform in the league.
The wider lesson from the night is about margins. In these ties, the difference between another round and elimination was not a dominant scoreline: it was one final save, one accurate strike and one miss. The two results also underline why cup football can change pace quickly. A team that cannot find a winner in open play still has a route forward, but it must execute when the pressure is highest. Goalkeepers are central to that equation: one save can turn a shootout from a coin-flip finish into a clear advantage for the side that keeps its shape and nerve. For managers, both results will count as progress, while the way their teams handled pressure will offer plenty to review before the next round.
Liverpool and City now move into the quarter-final draw with their cup campaigns intact. Chelsea and Brighton leave after pushing their opponents to the limit. Wednesday produced no runaway winner, only two tense ties in which the last decisive actions came from the penalty spot.
Related articles
Share this article
Explore today’s predictions
Review the latest match analysis and free selections from FootyTactix.
View Predictions
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to join the conversation.