That’s all for tonight. I’ll leave you with match reports from Anfield and the LNER Stadium (aka Sincil Bank). Goodnight.
Liverpool reaction
Alexander Isak
I could have done better with my first chance. But then it’s all about being ready for the next one [which he scored], so I’m happy with that. It was good to get some more minutes but it’s a competitive game so the main priority is to win.
I feel good, I feel fit. It’s still early – new club, new teammates – and with each game it’s only going to get better.
[On being asked to do sprints on the pitch at half-time] Yeah that was a new one. It was funny. Gotta get fit!
Andy Robertson
We can’t keep relying on late goals. We were nowhere near our standards, especially in the first half. I’m delighted for Alex; the first goal is always the hardest. Hopefully there are many more to come.
He was excellent against Atletico and again today. He looks fit to me! Maybe the sports scientists think a little differently. But that’s what we had to do in pre-season as well!
[On the Ekitike red card] I’ll be very surprised if he does it again. Scoring a goal is always emotional and he must have forgotten he’d already been booked. The first one was stupidity, for kicking the ball away, and now we miss him for Saturday. It’s silly on his part but he’s only young and he’ll learn from it.
The four remaining ties will be played tomorrow night.
Huddersfield v Man City
Newcastle v Bradford City
Tottenham v Doncaster
Port Vale v Arsenal
Carabao Cup results
Barnsley 0-6 Brighton
Burnley 1-2 Cardiff
Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea
Wigan 0-2 Wycombe
Wolves 1-0 Everton
Wrexham 2-0 Reading
Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
The shock of the night came at Turf Moor, where League One Cardiff joined Wrexham* and Swansea in the last 16. Imagine.
* The last time they reached this tage of the League Cup was in 1977, when Ryan Reynolds was a one-year-old with a dream. Probably didn’t even have the dream.
Full time: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
Liverpool are through to the last 16 after yet another late winner, their sixth of the season. It was scored by the substitute Hugo Ekitike, who was then sent off for his celebration. Some bloke called Isak scored as well.
“Among the other consequences of Ekitike’s silly moment, the one that I rue the most is that it takes the spotlight off Chiesa,” writes Kári Tulinius. “He’s been brilliant every time I’ve seen him this season. It would be lovely to see find his mislaid form. At his best he cut through defences like a flashlight beam through fog.”
That’s a lovely image. His two assists tonight were really superb.
90+3 min: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton Joe Gomez makes a vital takcle on Charles, who controlled a pass from Armstrong and was about to shoot when Gomez lunged across him to win the ball. Terrific defending.
90+1 min: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton “Ekitike rightly sent off for taking off his red shirt to reveal his red undershirt,” says Niall Mullen. “Disgusting.”
Laws are there for a reason. To be ignored, if recent world events are anything to go by, so good on the referee for taking us back to a more respectcful, draconian age.
90 min: Liverpool 2-1 Southampton That Ekitike red card means he’ll miss the tricky trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Cardiff and Wycombe have also made it through to the last 16. That means the 7.45pm games are all done.
Barnsley 0-6 Brighton
Burnley 1-2 Cardiff
Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea
Wigan 0-2 Wycombe
Wolves 2-0 Everton
Wrexham 2-0 Reading
Federico Chiesa made a fine run in behind, drew the keeper and gave the goal to Ekitike. He whipped his top off in celebration – but he’d already been booked and the referee showed him a second yellow card.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Southampton (Ekitike 85)
Hugo Ekitike scores – and is sent off for his celebration!
Updated
84 min: Liverpool 1-1 Southampton Just before we switched to this game, Liverpool’s new defender Geovani Leoni was stretchered off after landing awkwardly. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious, and it sounds like he made a very impressive debut.
Some more full-time results
Wolves 2-0 Everton
Wrexham 2-0 Reading
Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
82 min: Liverpool 1-1 Southampton Let’s watch this game now, shall we? Shea Charles’ equaliser came from a corner, helped by a poor defensive header by Wataru Endo (I think).
Full time: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea
Chelsea have survived a sizeable scare to make it through the last 16.
Full time: Barnsley 0-6 Brighton
Harry Howell, 17, and Yasin Ayari scored late goals for Brighton at Oakwell. But the star was Diego Gomez – he scored the first four goals, including two absolute belters.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Southampton (Charles 76)
Perhaps Anfield is the place for a shock. Southampton’s young substitute Shea Charles has equalised with 14 minutes to play.
Updated
89 min: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea A cross from the right is missed again by Jorgensen and volleyed over an open goal by the substitute Francis Okoronkwo. He saw it very late, but in hindsight he had time to control the ball and roll it into the net.
GOAL! Wolves 2-0 Everton (Arokodare 88)
Wolves may be pointless in the Premier League but they’re heading through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup. Emmanuel Arokodare, who came on to replace Jorgen Strand Larsen, has doubled their lead against Everton with a cool chip over Mark Travers.
Updated
82 min: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea The substitute Pedro Neto plays a lovely through ball to Buonanotte, whose shot is blocked by the outrushing Zach Jeacock. That’s a vital save.
80 min: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea There’s no extra-time in this round, so a Lincoln equaliser would lead to a penalty shootout. They are still right in this tie – they’ve had more attempts at goal than Chelsea - and know that one set-piece or cross into the box could get the job done.
Updated
Four teams have already qualified for the last 16. I’ll remind me you who they are just as soon as I’ve checked Wikipedia.
Like I said: Grimsby, Brentford, Swansea and Crystal Palace.
74 min: Barnsley 0-4 Brighton SInce you asked so kindly, no, Diego Gomez’s four goals aren’t a League Cup record. That record, as any child of the eighties knows, is held by Frank E Bunn.
Updated
Latest scores
Barnsley 0-4 Brighton
Burnley 1-2 Cardiff
Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea
Wigan 0-2 Wycombe
Wolves 1-0 Everton
Wrexham 2-0 Reading
Liverpool 1-0 Southampton (8pm)
GOAL! Wrexham 2-0 Reading (Smith 70) It looks like Wrexham are heading for the last 16; Sam Smith has put them 2-0 up against Reading.
It’s worth remembering that Wrexham should really have gone out in the first round, when they were 3-1 down at home to Hull going into injury time. Ollie Palmer scored twice and they won on penalties.
Brighton's Gomez scores four at Oakwell
GOALS! Wigan 0-2 Wycombe (McNeilly 62); Barnsley 0-4 Brighton (Gomez 68)
That’s not a typo: Diego Gomez has scored his F-O-U-R-T-H goal of the night at Oakwell. On this occasion he ran onto a deft first-time pass from Danny Welbeck and slid the ball under the keeper.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Cambridge (Smith Rowe 66) Emile Smith Rowe has broken the deadlock at Craven Cottage.
At Sincil Bank, meanwhile, Lewis Montsma walloped that free-kick into orbit.
66 min: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea Lincoln are not going quietly. Draper is fouled 25 yards from goal by Santos, which gives htem another chest to test the vulnerable Jorgensen…
Goals plural! Burnley 1-2 Cardiff (Flemming 61); Wrexham 1-0 Reading (Broadhead 57)
Meanwhile, at Sincil Bank, Draper misses a good chance to equalise after a horrible fumble from Jorgensen. He’s had a tough night.
54 min: Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea Lincoln threaten again when Draper’s close-range header is desperately cleared by a combination of Chalobah and Hato.
The latest scores
Barnsley 0-3 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Cardiff
Fulham 0-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea
Wigan 0-1 Wycombe
Wolves 1-0 Everton
Wrexham 0-0 Reading
Liverpool 1-0 Southampton (8pm)
GOAL! Lincoln 1-2 Chelsea (Buonanotte 50)
The fairytale has gone up in smoke. Facundo Buonanotte receives a clever pass from George just inside the area and walks straight through a couple of woolly challenges to score. It’s his first goal for Chelsea.
Updated
GOAL! Lincoln 1-1 Chelsea (George 48)
Who needs substitutes? The teenager Tyrique George has equalised for Chelsea with a brilliant goal. A loose ball bounced towards him, maybe 25 yards out, and he arrowed a half-volley into the net via the far post. Inspector Gianluigi Gadget-Donnarumma wouldn’t have saved that.
Updated
46 min: Lincoln 1-0 Chelsea No substitutions for Chelsea. Yet.
And new champion of the world…
“In the style of Scotland claiming to be world champions after beating England in 1967, I checked to see who the current world club champions are,” writes Niall Mullen. “Turns out it’s Sholing FC who beat Chelsea on the 26 July and have yet to lose since. They are 1-0 up at half time against the might Uxbridge so no sign that they are going to relinquish their crown just yet.”
That’s my winter sorted. You can keep your Premier League, your Ashes and even your Fools and Horses Christmas Special.
Updated
Half time: Liverpool 1-0 Southampton
See below.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Southampton (Isak 43)
Alexander Isak gets his first Liverpool goal! Less than 60 seconds after Adam Armstrong hit the bar at the other end, Isak put Liverpool ahead. The keeper Alex McCarthy played a poor pass that was intercepted by Chiesa on the right side of the area. He screwed the ball back to Isak, who clipped a simple finish over McCarthy.
Terrific play from Chiesa, first to read McCarthy’s pass and then to pick out Isak, but Southampton should be in front, not behind. Armstrong’s chance wasn’t the only one; Caspar Jander headed the rebound just wide with Mamardashvili out of the game.
Updated
Half-time scores
It’s half time in the seven 7.45pm games. The big news is that Lincoln lead Chelsea 1-0, a scoreline that flatters them not one jot. Enzo Maresca will probably have to turn to a bench that includes Estevao, Pedro Neto, Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo.
Barnsley 0-3 Brighton
Gomez hat-trick, including two screamersBurnley 0-2 Cardiff
Fulham 0-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 1-0 Chelsea
Wigan 0-1 Wycombe
Wolves 1-0 Everton
Wrexham 0-0 Reading
45 min: Barnsley 0-3 Brighton “Here’s footage of that Gomez hat-trick goal,” says Niall Mullen.
30 min: Liverpool 0-0 Southampton I’ve been following Lincoln rather than this game but it sounds like Southampton are doing very well and keeping Liverpool at arm’s length.
GOAL! Burnley 0-2 Cardiff (Robinson 36) Callum Robinson has doubled Cardiff’s lead at Turf Moor, where another Premier League team could be about to bite the Carabao dust.
Rob Street has given Lincoln the lead – and it doesn’t flatter them. Fernandez played a risky pass across the face of the penalty area towards Chalobah, who dithered and was beaten to the ball by Ivan Varfolomeev. He headed it through to Street, who slid the ball calmly past Jorgensen. Lincoln are beating the world champions.
Lincoln are beating the world champions!!!
Updated
GOAL! Lincoln 1-0 Chelsea (Street 42)
Blimey.
40 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Jamie Gittens cuts inside from the left and smacks a shot into the side netting. Not a bad effort but the angle was very tight.
39 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea “Do you have any idea why the Lincoln supporters are booing Garnacho?” asks Kári Tulinius. “The commentators have acknowledged it, but not explained why.”
You mean you don’t remember the incident? (Erm, there’s no obvious reason. I guess he’s the most high-profile/flamboyant player in the Chelsea team; there’s probably also a perception that he’s partial to a dive.
GOAL! Barnsley 0-3 Brighton (Gomez 33)
Diego Gomez has scored a 25-minute hat-trick to secure Brighton’s place in the last 16. And he completed it in style, lashing a bouncing ball past Murphy Cooper from 30 yards. Why wouldn’t you?
Updated
GOALS! Burnley 0-1 Cardiff (Colwill 30); Wigan 0-1 Wycombe (Boyd-Munce 32) Meanwhile, at Oakwell…
Lincoln shot cleared off the line
32 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Another corner and more problems for Chelsea. Jorgensen made a mess of a fairly routine punch, and Draper’s goalbound shot was inadvertently blocked by his teammate Bradley!
GOAL! Wolves 1-0 Everton (Munetsi 29)
Marshall Munetsi has put Wolves ahead in the night’s only all Premier League tie.
Updated
29 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea A right-wing corner is headed just wide by Sonny Bradley, a pretty good effort from 10 yards. Lincoln are trroubling Chelsea at set pieces.
Carabao Cup latest scores
Barnsley 0-2 Brighton
Burnley 0-0 Cardiff
Fulham 0-0 Cambridge
Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea
Wigan 0-0 Wycombe
Wolves 0-0 Everton
Wrexham 0-0 Reading
Liverpool 0-0 Southampton (8pm)
25 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Still no sign of Chelsea imposing their superior ability on the game. Alejandro Garnacho is being booed every time he gets the ball and has visited the canvas a few times.
GOAL! Barnsley 0-2 Brighton (Gomez 21)
Two for Brighton, two for Diego Gomez. His second goal was a screamer, sweet-spotted into the roof of the net from 20 yards. Another assist for Tom Watson too, although in truth this was all Gomez’s work.
Updated
19 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Gittens misses Chelsea’s first chance, half-volleying Fernandez’s pass over the bar from a tight angle. It was a tough ball to take – not quite a half-volley, in fact, as it bounced a yard or so in front of him.
Updated
1 min: Liverpool 0-0 Southampton They’re underway at Anfield now.
“Looking at that Southampton team,” says Matt Dony, “it’s hard to see who Liverpool might end up buying next. (This joke comes to you from 2017. I’m off to listen to Galway Girl.)”
Updated
14 min: Barnsley 0-1 Brighton Diego Gomez’s goal was pretty straightforward, slid into the net from Tom Watson’s low cross.
12 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Lincoln continue to dominate a slightly unnerved Chelsea side. Freddie Draper appeals for a penalty after colliding with Malo Gusto; nothing doing and there’s no VAR in this game.
Updated
GOAL! Barnsley 0-1 Brighton (Gomez 9)
The first goal of the night has been scored by Brighton’s Diego Gomez, and there’s nothing else to say because I haven’t seen the goal yet.
Updated
Liverpool v Southampton (8pm)
Before the match at Anfield, Liverpool will pay tribute to Matt Beard, the former coach of their women’s team who has died at the tragically young age of 47.
6 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Lincoln have started superbly and are working the Chelsea defence with a series of long throws. It was the first of those throws that ultimately led to Montsma’s chance.
4 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Fofana is on his feet and being tested for concussion. It looks like he’s going to continue.
2 min: Lincoln 0-0 Chelsea Lincoln comes so close to a dream start, with Lewis Montsma rattling a shot off inside the post after barely 70 seconds. Moments later Jorgensen punches the ball clear and flattens his teammate Fofana in his follow through; he’s face down on the turf.
Updated
Kick off
Peep peep! The seven 7.45pm games are under way.
“Everton have won some trophies in their history but the League Cup isn’t one of them,” writes Matt Burtz. “After a win at Molineux pre-international break I’m optimistic they can do it again. At the very least we’ll see what Thierno Barry can do in the starting lineup. (Do I immediately think of Gareth Barry when I see the name ‘Barry’? Yes, yes I do. Gareth scored five goals for Everton and I can’t recall any of them, BTW.)”
They haven’t won the League Cup but it was the catalyst for the greatest period in Everton’s history, as our friend Gary Naylor explained on a recent episode of Nessun Dorma.
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Wigan v Wycombe team news
Wigan Tickle, Weir, Aimson, Fox, Cooper, Borges Rodrigues, Wright, Adeeko, Hungbo, Costelloe, Asamoah.
Subs: Savin, Luke Robinson, Rogers, Smith, Trevitt, Brenan, McManaman, Murray, Mullin.
Wycombe Norris, Huggins, Back, Hagelskjaer, Casey, Abbott, Boyd-Munce, Westergaard, Tilley, Fink, McNeilly.
Subs: Moore, Allen, Gregory, Skura, Leahy, Bartolo, Savage, Onyedinma, Lowry.
Referee Ed Duckworth.
Updated
Fulham v Cambridge team news
Fulham Lecomte, Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Reed, Cairney, Traore, Smith Rowe, Kevin, Jimenez.
Subs: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Berge, King, Wilson, Chukwueze, Rodrigo Muniz, Kusi-Asare.
Cambridge Eastwood, Bennett, Jobe, Ibsen Rossi, Bradshaw, Mayor, McLoughlin, Mpanzu, Smith, Brophy, Lavery.
Subs: Hughes, Purrington, Ball, Watts, Kachunga, KaiKai, Knight, Kouassi, Gibbons.
Referee Ruebyn Ricardo.
Updated
Liverpool v Southampton team news
Arne Slot changes the entire XI that started the Merseyside derby. Alexander Isak starts; Giorgi Mamardashvili, the best goalkeeper at Euro 2024, and Giovanni Leoni make their Liverpool debuts.
Liverpool Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Gomez, Leoni, Robertson, Jones, Endo, Chiesa, Nyoni, Ngumoha, Isak.
Subs: Woodman, Kerkez, Bradley, Ekitike, Williams, Danns, Pilling, Gordon, Morrison.
Southampton McCarthy, Jelert, Edwards, Wood-Gordon, Quarshie, Manning, Downes, Jander, Scienza, Archer, Armstrong.
Subs: Long, Harwood-Bellis, Charles, Matsuki, Fraser, Fellows, Robinson, Stewart, Downs.
Referee Thomas Bramall (Sheffield)
Updated
Burnley v Cardiff team news
Burnley Weiss, Tuanzebe, Worrall, Humphreys, Sonne, Ugochukwu, Mejbri, Lucas Pires, Edwards, Broja, Flemming.
Subs: Hladky, Ndayishimiye, Banel, Barnes, Pimlott, Clark, Pouani, Campbell, Brierley.
Cardiff Trott, Ng, Chambers, Fish, Bagan, Wintle, Joel Colwill, Ashford, Rubin Colwill, Davies, Robinson.
Subs: Turner, Osho, Giles, Mafico, Turnbull, Kellyman, Nyakuhwa, Willock, Salech.
Referee David Webb.
Wrexham v Reading team news
Wrexham Burton, Brunt, Scarr, Doyle, Barnett, Lee, Matty James, Thomason, McClean, Broadhead, Smith.
Subs: Okonkwo, Coady, Cleworth, Kabore, Longman, Dobson, O’Brien, Hardie, Moore.
Reading Stevens, Abrefa, Stickland, Jacob, Garcia, Doyle, Elliott, Savage, Kyerewaa, O’Mahony, Ehibhatiomhan.
Subs: Pereira, Fraser, Wing, Rushesha, Lane, Ryan, Duah, Ahmed, Patton.
Referee Simon Mather
Updated
Lincoln v Chelsea team news
Enzo Maresca makes eight changes to the side that started at Old Trafford on Saturday. Alejandro Garnacho makes his full debut for Chelsea.
Lincoln Jeacock, Darikwa, Montsma, Bradley, Hamer, McGrandles, Towler, Varfolomeyev, Street, House, Draper.
Subs: Obikwu, Okoronkwo, Ring, Thorn, Collins, Bayliss, Hackett, Reach, Wickens.
Chelsea Jorgensen, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Fernandez, Santos, Bynoe-Gittens, Buonanotte, Garnacho, George.
Subs: Slonina, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Estevao, Walsh, Harrison, Mheuka.
Referee Matthew Donohue.
Updated
Wolves v Everton team news
Wolves Johnstone, Bellegarde, Santiago Bueno, Krejci, Doherty, Hwang, Andre Trindade, Hugo Bueno, Larsen, Munetsi, Arias.
Subs: Bentley, Wolfe, Joao Gomes, Agbadou, Arokodare, Rodrigo Gomes, Toti Gomes, Hoever, Lopez.
Everton Travers, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Alcaraz, Coleman, Garner, Dibling, McNeil, Iroegbunam, Barry.
Subs: King, Patterson, Beto, Grealish, Aznou, Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Mykolenko.
Referee Craig Pawson.
Barnsley v Brighton team news
Barnsley Cooper, Durand de Gevigney, Shepherd, Ogbeta, Farrugia, Rooney, Connell, Cleary, Russell, Yoganathan, Keillor-Dunn.
Subs: Flavell, Phillips, Watson, Barratt, Bland, Graham, Earl, Woodcock, Farrell.
Brighton Steele, Veltman, Coppola, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Baleba, Milner, Watson, Welbeck, Gomez, Tzimas.
Subs: McGill, Dunk, van Hecke, Rutter, Kostoulas, Mitoma, Ayari, Tasker, Howell.
Referee Tom Reeves
Updated
Ben Fisher on Lincoln v Chelsea
It is the makings of a pub‑quiz question: what do third‑tier Lincoln City have in common with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt? The answer is rooted in their forward-thinking approach, with the League One side one of a few clubs in the world to have a dedicated innovation arm tasked with maximising potential. There are always ideas bubbling away at the surface, one centring on using plant‑based energy gels, another on adjusting dressing-room lighting to heighten performance.
Preamble
The Carabao Cup starts here! What do you mean seven Premier League teams, including Aston Villa and Manchester United, are already out of the competition? Fair point. But it’s not the point, so pipe down.
The point is that Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and the holders Newcastle – who between them have won 10 of the last 12 League Cups – are among the clubs joining the competition this week.
Chelsea and Liverpool are first up with matches against Lincoln and Southampton respectively. We’re all friends here, so can acknowledge that tonight’s fixture list is not the most mouthwatering in Guardian clockwatch history. But cup nights usually throw up some quality watercooler fodder, so stay us with unguaranteed excitement.
These are tonight’s fixtures; all are 7.45pm kick-offs unless otherwise jolly well stated.
Barnsley v Brighton
Burnley v Cardiff
Fulham v Cambridge
Lincoln v Chelsea
Wigan v Wycombe
Wolves v Everton
Wrexham v Reading
Liverpool v Southampton (8pm)
