Alexander Isak scored his first Liverpool goal since his record-breaking £125 million move with a sharp finish, but it was substitute Hugo Ekitike’s late winner and subsequent reckless red card that stole the headlines in Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton at Anfield.
Isak off the mark for Liverpool
The Swedish striker, handed his first start since joining from Newcastle, struck after just 15 minutes. Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy’s poor pass was seized upon by Federico Chiesa, who fed Isak to curl a precise first-time effort into the far corner.
The goal capped a lively first half for the new signing, who could have scored inside 44 seconds but saw McCarthy deflect his shot over.
Isak, however, was withdrawn at half-time as Arne Slot continues to carefully manage his fitness ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace and a Champions League trip to Galatasaray.
Saints threaten before Liverpool wobble
Southampton, whose squad is valued at less than Liverpool’s summer outlay on Isak, still caused scares.
Adam Armstrong chipped against the crossbar, and Leo Scienza somehow headed wide with the goal gaping.
Debutant keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was rarely troubled otherwise, while 18-year-old centre-back Giovanni Leoni impressed before being stretchered off after a heavy challenge.
Slot later confirmed:
“He is down because, for him, it didn’t feel good immediately… You have to wait until tomorrow to see how he comes in and maybe do an MRI scan. Let’s hope for the best.”
Liverpool’s failure to kill the game invited late drama. A poor clearance from Wataru Endo allowed Shea Charles to fire in an equaliser with 14 minutes to play at Anfield.
Ekitike delivers; then self-destructs
Just as extra time loomed, Ekitike pounced on a Chiesa pass to slot home the decisive goal five minutes from time.
The Frenchman, however, immediately sabotaged his moment of glory by removing his shirt in celebration, earning a second yellow card after an earlier booking for dissent.
Slot did not hide his fury post-match:
“It was needless and stupid. The first one was already needless… It’s always best to control your emotions. If you can’t, do it in a way that doesn’t lead to a yellow card.”
“If you score in the Champions League final in the 87th minute after outplaying three players, maybe I’d understand, But this was needless, not smart – you call it stupid, I called it stupid right away as well.”
Ekitike’s suspension now rules him out of Saturday’s trip to Selhurst Park.
Liverpool advance to the fourth round, though Slot faces fresh selection headaches with Isak’s fitness, Leoni’s injury, and Ekitike’s suspension. Crystal Palace await on Saturday before a European test in Istanbul.
Chelsea’s Second-Half Fightback Eliminates Lincoln
Elsewhere in the Carabao Cup, Club World Cup champions, Chelsea avoided a major Carabao Cup upset after rallying from a goal down to beat League One side Lincoln City 2-1 at the LNER Stadium.
The League One side led at half-time through Ryan Street, capitalizing on Enzo Fernández’s error. But second-half goals from Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte turned the tie in favor of Enzo Maresca’s men.
Lincoln Strike First
Lincoln, sitting third in Sky Bet League One, shocked the visitors by taking a deserved lead in the 42nd minute. A careless pass from Enzo Fernández gifted Ryan Street the chance to score, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Fernández was one of only three players retained from Chelsea’s Premier League defeat at Manchester United on Saturday, but Enzo Maresca’s starting XI was still packed with talent, worth almost £400million ($540m) in transfer fees.
Lincoln’s fans, who last saw their team face Chelsea in 1911, roared their side on, unsettling the Blues with relentless pressing and dangerous set-pieces.
Chelsea Hit Back After the Break
The tide turned quickly after halftime. 19-year-old Tyrique George, equalised before turning provider five minutes later, setting up Facundo Buonanotte to score his first Chelsea goal.
The quick-fire double broke Lincoln’s resistance and sealed Chelsea’s place in the fourth round, though Maresca admitted things were far from comfortable.
“Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely,” Maresca said when asked if he delivered angry words at halftime.
“I know some of them didn’t play these kind of games. I asked them how many times they had played against League One teams because you need to play a different kind of game.
“It’s not the same game because the desire is double from them. We struggled a bit in the first half but we were much better in the second half and we won the game.”
“If the next game is against a League One or League Two team away, for sure this experience will be good for the next one. This has been a good experience.”
Garnacho Booed, Jorgensen Tested
There was also a debut for Alejandro Garnacho, signed from Manchester United for £40m. The Argentinian winger endured a hostile evening, mercilessly booed by the Lincoln supporters every time he touched the ball.
Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, making his first start since June due to Robert Sánchez’s suspension, also had a nervy outing as Lincoln peppered the box with high balls.
Maresca defended the young Dane:
“I don’t know how many balls they put into the box. It was not easy for any keeper, to be honest. It’s not easy because they bring so many players inside the box, it’s difficult.”
“For Filip, it was the first game of the season so not easy but we won the game. I was very worried about this game.”
Skubala Proud but Frustrated
For Lincoln, nicknamed ‘The Imps’, who beat Harrogate and Burton to set up their first clash with Chelsea in 114 years, pushed the Premier League giants to the limit.
Head coach Michael Skubala was filled with pride but also frustration:
“I’m really proud of the overall performance but also frustrated because we think we could have got more out of the game as well.”
“The group probably thinks the same because they feel like they deserved more but in the end, Chelsea’s quality showed in those five minutes where they scored twice.”
