Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola
Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola
Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup fourth round, with Andoni Iraola’s side looking to extend their four-match winning run across all competitions.
The Reds beat Brighton 2-0 on Sunday to secure their first Premier League home win of the season, following victories over LASK and Brentford and a thrilling 4-3 Champions League win against Villarreal.
However, Liverpool’s defensive frailties remain a concern, with just one clean sheet in their last five matches. Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham last time out.
The Blues have recorded two wins, two losses and a draw in their last five Premier League games. Iraola is expected to rotate his starting XI for Wednesday’s cup tie.
Discussing rotation at his pre-match press conference, Iraola said: “It’s not that we have a lot of options – [it’s that] we need to rotate. Every top team that plays every three days needs to rotate.
“Sometimes they are forced rotations because you don’t have players available and it’s more difficult for me. And sometimes it’s because we consider that for different games we have different demands and we have to go differently tactically.
“But I’m happy because I see the team, everyone is involved, and when we’ve had the need to use someone that was not playing for one game, for 10 minutes, he has been there and has helped us.
“The more players we can have in a good place, the easier is going to be my selection. Even if it’s hard in terms of leaving players out, I prefer those problems than not having players ready.”
Ronald Araujo and Milos Kerkez are both one booking away from suspension and would miss the quarter-finals if they receive a yellow card against Chelsea and Liverpool progress. Both players have been key for Liverpool this season.
Liverpool and Chelsea last met on May 9, drawing 1-1 at Anfield. Chelsea won the previous two meetings at home, 2-1 in October 2025 and 3-1 in May 2025.
Across their last five encounters, both teams have recorded two wins, with one draw. Their only previous Carabao Cup meeting in the dataset saw Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 away in February 2024.
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.
GD Estoril Praia v SL Benfica - Primeira Liga Jose Mourinho, head coach of SL Benfica, during the Primeira Liga match between GD Estoril Praia and SL Benfica at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota in Estoril, Portugal, on May 16, 2026. lisbon Portugal PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xValterxGouveiax originalFilename:gouveia-16052026260516_npHWH.jpg