Liverpool unexpectedly crashed out of the Carabao Cup in the Third Round after losing to Chelsea 1-2 at Anfield. It was the Reds’ first home loss since January.
They only have themselves to blame because they had plenty of chances to put this match to bed before a calamitous six-minute spell. The club with more League Cups than any other made an early exit for the second year in a row.
With an almost entirely new side starting, Liverpool struggled to find a foothold in the match and needed to weather a stronger start by Chelsea. Yet, as the first half progressed, the Reds grew into the match and ended much stronger before the interval.
From the start of the second half, Liverpool were far more aggressive in attack, creating a number of big chances but they were only able to score one of them. It left the contest dangerously in the balance and Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri opted to bring on Eden Hazard late. The Belgian all but single-handedly turned things around for the Blues, leading a come from behind victory before Saturday’s rematch in the Premier League.
Here are four findings from the match:
