Carabao Cup wrap: Chelsea, Liverpool cruise through, Man United survive penalty shootout

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Manchester United survived a penalty shootout against League One side Rochdale after a 1-1 draw, while Liverpool and Chelsea cruised past lower league opposition in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup action.

Liverpool 2-0 MK Dons

A much-changed Liverpool side eased past MK Dons and into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

Jurgen Klopp altered his entire starting lineup for the trip to stadium:mk as Harvey Elliott became the youngest player to start a competitive match for the club.

The 16-year-old put in an accomplished display and twice hit the crossbar as James Milner profited from terrible goalkeeping by Stuart Moore to put the Reds in front before Ki-Jana Hoever wrapped up a comfortable 2-0 victory.

Despite the Premier League side enjoying plenty of early possession, it was the hosts who missed the first clear opportunity on the evening.

Liverpool failed to clear their lines after a ball was played into the box and Conor McGrandles took advantage, but could only fire his shot over the goal of debutant Caoimhin Kelleher.

At the other end, there was a glaring miss for Elliott, who could only turn the ball on to the crossbar from close range as James Milner’s cross picked out the youngster free at the back post.


The same pair combined on 25 minutes but this time it was Elliott floating a ball in for Milner, whose diving header flashed wide of the post.

Liverpool would take the lead four minutes before the break, Milner’s tame shot seemingly heading straight for Moore to make a routine save, only for the goalkeeper to fumble over his line as his desperate lunge back towards his goal was not enough to keep the ball out.

At the other end, recalled Dejan Lovren did well to block a Sam Nombe effort behind before Jordan Bowery saw his scuffed effort hit the base of the post as MK Dons pushed for a leveller.

Instead, the record MK Dons crowd of 28,521 saw Liverpool double their lead as full back Hoever marked his first start for the club with a powerful header from Milner’s cross.

Bowery drew a smart stop out of Kelleher before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the post as the tie started to open up in the latter stages.

Elliott curled a fine shot against the crossbar in stoppage time as he came within inches of marking his debut with a goal as Liverpool advanced with ease.

Man United 1-1 Rochdale (United win 4-3 on penalties)

Sergio Romero saved Manchester United from an embarrassing exit in the EFL Cup as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side needed penalties to knock out third-tier Rochdale after a 1-1 draw.

Mason Greenwood put United in front in the second half on Wednesday, the teenager scoring for the second week in a row after netting the winner against Astana in the Europa League.

But the League One side stunned Old Trafford with an equaliser scored by 16-year-old Luke Matheson, who was set up by United academy product Ollie Rathbone.

That sent the game into penalties and when Romero kept out Jimmy Keohane’s effort, Daniel James was able to convert United’s last kick and complete a 5-3 shootout victory.

Chelsea 7-1 Grimsby Town

Frank Lampard got a first home win as Chelsea boss under his belt as his youthful side thumped League Two Grimsby 7-1 in the Carabao Cup.

Goals from Ross Barkley, Michy Batshuayi’s brace, Pedro, Kurt Zouma, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi ensured an ultimately comfortable passage into round four.

With just four minutes on the clock Barkley collected Pedro’s pass 25 yards out and powered past Town midfielder Harry Clifton into the area before firing low inside James McKeown’s near post.

Three minutes later it was two, Batshuayi spinning in the area before lashing the ball home.

But Grimsby, who lie 66 places below Chelsea, stunned the Blues when veteran Matt Green halved the deficit with a spectacular long-range effort.

To their credit Grimsby more than held their own for the rest of the first half until, in the 43rd minute, Green tugged Zouma to the ground at a corner to concede a penalty.

Barkley had insisted he would take Chelsea’s next spot kick despite his miss against Valencia, but evidently not. At least there were no arguments this time as Pedro stepped up to confidently roll the ball home.

Zouma tapped in the fourth from a fine cross from James 11 minutes into the second half.

That meant Lampard could throw in two more debutants, Tino Anjorin and Ian Maatsen, with the Blues finishing the night with six academy starlets on the pitch.

So, it was fitting that James curled in a fine debut goal and Hudson-Odoi got in on the act after Batshuayi’s second to offer yet more hope of a bright future at the club.

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Dean Workman