Liverpool vs Chelsea — 28 October 2026

Liverpool host Chelsea in the EFL Cup after contrasting results in their latest Premier League matches. Andoni Iraola's team have won four consecutive competitive games, most recently beating Brighton 2-0, while Chelsea suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham. Both managers face important selection decisions ahead of demanding league fixtures, with Liverpool preparing to face Arsenal and Chelsea scheduled to meet Manchester United over the weekend.

Liverpool's Recovery and Squad Rotation

Liverpool have responded well to their 3-0 defeat against Manchester City, returning to form with four consecutive victories across all competitions. Their recent performances have demonstrated both attacking resilience and the ability to manage matches with different approaches.

In the Champions League, Liverpool recovered from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Villarreal 4-3. Their subsequent Premier League meeting with Brighton was more controlled, ending in a 2-0 victory that provided another encouraging result against an opponent in strong form.

An important factor in Liverpool's recovery has been their ability to maintain results despite extensive squad rotation. Iraola made six changes to his starting lineup for the Champions League match against Villarreal. In the previous EFL Cup round, he made ten changes and still secured a 3-1 victory over Tottenham.

That flexibility could be particularly valuable against Chelsea. With Arsenal awaiting on Sunday, Liverpool are likely to rotate again to manage the workload of their regular starters. Their attacking depth gives Iraola opportunities to rest key players without completely changing the team's approach.

However, injuries continue to limit his options. Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain in long-term recovery, while Giovanni Leoni has yet to return from a serious knee injury. Jeremie Frimpong is also sidelined with a muscle problem and is unlikely to feature before the November international break.

Muñoz remains doubtful following a blow to the knee. Dominik Szoboszlai has resumed individual training but had not rejoined the full squad by the end of the week, leaving his availability uncertain. Florian Wirtz is also listed as doubtful.

Despite these absences, Liverpool have already demonstrated that their reserve players can contribute effectively in cup competitions. The challenge will be maintaining that level against a Chelsea team with considerable individual quality, even if the visitors are also expected to make changes.

Chelsea's Recent Setback and Attacking Absences

Chelsea appeared to be finding greater consistency before their defeat to Tottenham. Xabi Alonso's team had recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory over Bournemouth before winning 2-0 away to Everton, their first away clean sheet in some time.

However, the London derby exposed the team's continuing inconsistency. Chelsea competed on relatively even terms with Tottenham for much of the match, but the situation changed in the 77th minute when goalkeeper Mike Penders turned the ball into his own net.

Cole Palmer subsequently received a second yellow card, leaving Chelsea with ten players. Tottenham took advantage of their numerical superiority to add another goal and complete a 2-0 victory.

The consequences extend beyond that defeat. Palmer is suspended for the EFL Cup meeting with Liverpool, depriving Alonso of his primary creative player. João Pedro also suffered an injury during Friday's training session and is awaiting a definitive diagnosis, making his availability uncertain.

Chelsea have further problems elsewhere in the squad. Emiliano Martínez faces several weeks on the sidelines following jaw surgery, while Reece James continues his recovery from a knee operation. Additional injuries have reduced Alonso's options as he prepares for two demanding fixtures in quick succession.

The manager may again need to rely heavily on reserve players, although that approach caused difficulties in the previous cup round. Against Leeds, Chelsea fell 2-0 behind before Alonso introduced several established starters, including Palmer, Pedro Neto, James, and Rogers. Their involvement helped Chelsea recover and eventually secure a 6-3 victory.

This time, Palmer and James will not be available to provide the same support. The uncertainty surrounding João Pedro creates an additional problem for Chelsea's attacking selection.

Chelsea's recent matches have also featured considerable attacking activity. Five of their last ten competitive fixtures have produced at least four combined goals, including the nine-goal encounter with Leeds.

Maintaining defensive organization has not always been straightforward, particularly when matches become open. With several potential changes to the starting lineup, Alonso will need to balance attacking options against the need for greater defensive stability.

Referee: Darren England

Darren England was among the Premier League's three strictest referees last season, averaging 4.39 yellow cards and 22.04 fouls per match. Across 23 league appearances, he sent off three players and awarded three penalties.

His approach has been less strict at the beginning of the current campaign, with averages of 3.6 yellow cards and 21 fouls per match.

Key Factors

The main question concerns how effectively both teams can maintain their attacking coordination with potentially unfamiliar starting lineups. Liverpool have already demonstrated that extensive rotation does not necessarily reduce their effectiveness, while Chelsea's previous cup performance showed the difficulties they can encounter before introducing experienced players.

Palmer's suspension and the uncertainty surrounding João Pedro could make it harder for Chelsea to create opportunities consistently. Liverpool, meanwhile, must manage their own injury problems and the demands of the upcoming Arsenal match. The effectiveness of each team's attacking combinations and defensive organization after personnel changes could play an important role in how the cup tie develops.