Liverpool vs Chelsea – News and Probable Lineups

Xabi Alonso visits Anfield for the third occasion as a manager, this time taking charge of Chelsea as they prepare to face Liverpool in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

The London club has made it this far after victories against Luton Town and Leeds United, while Andoni Iraola’s team overcame Tottenham Hotspur with a 3-1 win in the last round and now aim for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Match overview

Chelsea’s form under Alonso has been inconsistent, highlighted by their disappointing showing against Tottenham on Saturday where fans anticipated a standard performance at Stamford Bridge.

Contrary to expectations, Roberto De Zerbi’s side dominated the 2025 Club World Cup champions, securing a 2-0 win, marking Tottenham’s first victory at the Bridge since 2018.

The scoreline could have been more severe, disappointing fans who had witnessed their team defeat Everton just a week earlier.

Now, Alonso faces the task of rallying his dejected squad and rekindling the backing of supporters who are accustomed to seeing Chelsea triumph over Tottenham, even in challenging moments.

To achieve this, the Spanish head coach will be hoping for a change of fortune at Anfield, having previously suffered defeats of 4-0 and 1-0 during his tenures at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid, with his teams conceding five goals without scoring.

Consequently, the Reds will be eager to compete against their former midfielder on Wednesday as they seek to advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Iraola’s team has lost just once across all competitions this season, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the beginning of the month following Ryan Gravenberch’s red card for two bookings.

The match was scoreless until the Dutchman was sent off with about 30 minutes left, indicating that the Merseyside giants might have otherwise maintained their unbeaten run under the Spanish manager.

Since their setback against City, the Reds have been unstoppable, achieving four straight wins in all competitions, including last week’s thrilling 4-3 victory in the Champions League against Villarreal, having fallen 2-0 behind in the first half.

This successful streak also includes a comeback win over nine-man Brentford, a 6-3 triumph against LASK Linz shortly after the 3-0 loss to Enzo Maresca’s side, and a 2-0 victory over Brighton on Sunday that secured their first clean sheet in five matches.

Having demonstrated their ability to perform well in various match situations, Liverpool will look to outlast Chelsea at Anfield and book a spot in the last eight of the EFL Cup at the expense of Alonso, a friend.

Team News

Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk may be rested on Wednesday as Iraola contemplates alterations to his side with Liverpool gearing up to face defending Premier League champions Arsenal on Super Sunday.

Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz could also be given a break, especially after Wirtz left the game against Brighton due to a suspected foot injury, though he later eased fears of a severe problem in his post-match remarks.

Cody Gakpo and the promising Rio Ngumoha are anticipated to play pivotal roles in the attack, with the latter having assisted two goals against Villarreal last week.

James McConnell and Lewis Koumas might also start on Wednesday, with Iraola likely opting to rest Alexander Isak and Barcola ahead of the encounter against Arsenal.

In terms of injuries, the home side faces several concerns: Wirtz and Victor Munoz (knee) are uncertain, while Conor Bradley (knee), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Jeremie Frimpong (muscle), Giovanni Leoni (knee), and Dominik Szoboszlai (muscle) are sidelined.

Chelsea will be without the suspended Cole Palmer, who will miss the midweek fixture after being sent off against Tottenham over the weekend.

Injuries have also ruled out Reece James (knee) and Emiliano Martinez (broken jaw), while Joao Pedro, Pep Chavarria, Emmanuel Emegha, and Jamie Gittens’ fitness will be assessed prior to the trip to Anfield.

Assuming there are no last-minute issues or tactical adjustments, Estevao Willian is expected to take on a significant role in Chelsea’s forward line, hoping to make his first start in over a month after playing 45 minutes in the EFL Cup third-round match against Leeds.

Depending on Alonso’s midfield formation, Chelsea could choose between a four or five-man defense, with the former likely to see Jordânia Henderson return to Anfield in a trio in midfield unless the manager opts for Valentin Barco, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia.

Danny Welbeck is poised to start against the Merseyside club, having netted five goals in 28 matches against them, while Morgan Rogers might feature even after playing the full 90 minutes against Tottenham, with Manchester United visiting on Saturday lunchtime.

Liverpool probable starting XI:

Mamardashvili; Araujo, Jacquet, Gomez, Kerquez; Bird, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, McConnell, Gakpo; Start

Chelsea probable starting XI:

Penders; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Palestra; Caicedo, Lavia, Boat; Estevao, Welbeck, Rogers

The expected alterations along with the defensive absences within both squads could lead to a more open encounter, featuring several players eager to make an impression.

Chelsea possesses sufficient individual talent to pose a threat, but Liverpool’s recent comebacks indicate that the hosts are more likely to come out on top should the match become disordered.