Liverpool aim to extend winning run against Chelsea in Carabao Cup

Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield on Wednesday for a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, with the hosts looking to continue their recent run of strong results against an inconsistent London side.

Liverpool reached the fourth round with a 3–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, while Chelsea progressed after beating Luton Town 2–0 and Leeds United 6–3. The two sides have taken different paths in recent weeks, with Liverpool building momentum and Chelsea struggling for consistency under head coach Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool, managed by Andoni Iraola, head into the tie on the back of four consecutive wins in all competitions. Their latest success came against Brighton, whom they defeated 2–0 at Anfield. Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered a 2–0 home defeat to Tottenham in their most recent outing, although earlier victories over Everton and Bournemouth showed their attacking potential.

Both teams have concerns over availability ahead of the match. Florian Wirtz is a doubt for Liverpool after suffering an ankle problem against Brighton, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Víctor Muñoz are also doubts. Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Hugo Ekitike remain sidelined. Chelsea will be without the suspended Cole Palmer, while Reece James, Jamie Gittens, Emmanuel Emegha and João Pedro are also expected to miss the trip.

The recent head-to-head record suggests a closely contested encounter: Liverpool and Chelsea have each won twice in their last five meetings, with the other match ending in a draw. Their most recent league meeting at Anfield finished 1–1 in May 2026. Liverpool will hope their current form gives them the edge, but Chelsea have enough quality to make the tie difficult.