Holders Liverpool survived a penalty shootout to see off third-tier Derby County on Wednesday and reach the League Cup fourth round while Manchester City won a heavyweight tie with Chelsea 2-0 and Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal were both knocked out.
Liverpool, who won last season’s competition by beating Chelsea on penalties, were held goalless in regulation time. Once again Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was Liverpool’s hero, saving three spot-kicks as his side progressed 3-2 in the shootout.
Second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez secured victory for City after Pep Guardiola made seven changes to the line-up that scraped a 2-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Jack Grealish, the Premier League’s most expensive signing, was City’s standout player and created a number of chances but it was Mahrez who broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute from a free-kick.
Alvarez doubled City’s lead five minutes later, sending a spectacular crossfield ball towards Mahrez and knocking the loose ball in from close range after Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy had parried the Algerian’s low strike.
In London, Premier League leaders Arsenal were beaten 3-1 at home by Brighton &Hove Albion, taking the lead through striker Eddie Nketiah but then conceding a penalty later in the first half scored by their former striker Danny Welbeck. Kaoru Mitoma and Tariq Lamptey clinched victory for the visitors in the second half.
Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham 2-0.
Another loss for Atletico
Madrid: Atletico Madrid slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Mallorca on Wednesday to continue their poor form, having won only one of their last seven games in all competitions.
Vedat Muriqi scored Mallorca’s winner in the 16th minute after Antonio Sanchez fired a long-range shot that Jan Oblak palmed away to the right before Jaume Costa set up the Kosovo striker to tap in to the empty net.
Atletico, who were eliminated from European competition last week, fell from third to sixth in the La Liga standings on 24 points, 13 adrift of leaders Barcelona. Unbeaten in the last four matches, Mallorca climbed to 10th.
Reuters
