(Video) Liverpool players ran straight to one man after penalty shootout drama at Anfield

Liverpool continued their hex over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup with a penalty shootout triumph at Anfield on Wednesday night.

It seemed apt that the contest would be settled by penalties as both goals in the regulation 90 minutes came from spot kicks, with Morgan Rogers’ 40th-minute opener swiftly cancelled out at the other end by Cody Gakpo.

With neither team able to add to their tally in the second half, a shootout in front of the Kop was required to determine who would advance to the quarter-finals.

Liverpool prevail in see-saw penalty shootout

Both teams scored five of their first six penalties before Ryan Gravenberch’s effort was saved by Mike Penders, giving Emmanuel Emegha the chance to win it for Chelsea.

However, he was thwarted by Giorgi Mamardashvili, and after Joe Gomez nudged Liverpool 6-5 in front, Wesley Fofana skied his spot kick into the Kop to spark wild celebrations among the home fans and players.

The Reds’ goalkeeper was mobbed by his jubilant teammates as they rejoiced in progressing to the last eight of the Carabao Cup, with the 26-year-old’s save from Emegha ultimately sparing his side from elimination.

Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Mamardashvili came up clutch for Liverpool tonight

The role of a deputy goalkeeper is one of the most chastening in football, with opportunities tending to be few and far between for those behind the starting number 1 in the queue, so Mamardashvili will be thrilled to have made a crucial intervention in the penalty shootout.

Having produced a stunning save in the previous round of this tournament against Tottenham, the Carabao Cup could yet be ‘his’ competition in the same way that it had been for Caoimhin Kelleher, his predecessor as the immediate understudy to Alisson Becker at Liverpool.

The Georgian also pulled off some important saves prior to the shootout tonight, including a fine reaction stop to thwart Marco Palestra in the final few minutes and another to deny Rogers shortly after half-time.

It shows how much Mamardashvili is appreciated by his Anfield teammates that they ran to him as soon as the shootout had finished, with the outfield players recognising his role in keeping their interest in the competition alive for at least one more round.

The 26-year-old will almost certainly find himself back on the bench for the Premier League showdown against Arsenal on Sunday, but he showed tonight that he can be a dependable reserve for Alisson when he’s required.

You can view the Liverpool players celebrating with Mamardashvili below, via @SkyFootball on X:

Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/pnCYwRrYzi

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 28, 2026