Why Chelsea's Carabao Cup Tie Against Liverpool Won't Have VAR
The Blues head to Anfield seeking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues will have to do without VAR on this occasion.
Chelsea are looking to bounce back from their 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham by returning to Carabao Cup action.
The Blues travel to Liverpool looking to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition for a sixth time in 11 years.
With Xabi Alonso’s side not competing in the Champions League or Europa League, Chelsea entered the competition in the second round for just the third time in 30 years.
A 2-0 victory over League One side Luton Town booked Chelsea’s place in the third round, where the Blues hosted Leeds United at Stamford Bridge. Despite an early scare, Alonso’s side turned things around to win 6-3 and book a trip to Anfield.
Liverpool had to overcome Premier League opposition to reach the fourth round, beating Tottenham 3-1 last month. Given that the Reds are competing in the Champions League, they did not have to enter the competition in the second round.
With the Carabao Cup governed by the EFL, Wednesday’s tie at Anfield will take place without Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The EFL’s reasoning for not using VAR in the rounds before the semi-finals is to ‘provide consistency’ and maintain the overall integrity of the competition. This is because sides in the Championship, League One and League Two do not have the infrastructure required to support the technology.
The competition aims to introduce the technology at the semi-final stage.
When Chelsea have faced Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, VAR has been at the centre of controversy. The 2021/22 final at Wembley Stadium saw Romelu Lukaku’s goal ruled out due to a suspected offside.
Liverpool’s Naby Keita was lucky to stay on the pitch following a high-footed tackle on Trevoh Chalobah, which left the defender requiring stitches in the dressing room.
The referee for this fourth-round tie is Darren England, who has yet to officiate a Chelsea match this season. His most recent encounter involving the Blues was the 2026 FA Cup final, in which they lost 1-0 to Manchester City.
In preparation for the quarter-finals, the draw for the next round will take place immediately after the conclusion of the Liverpool vs Chelsea tie. The quarter-final ties will take place in the week commencing December 14.
Xabi Alonso will be looking for a winning response against his former club, who are now managed by Andoni Iraola. A cup run has been earmarked as a higher priority, given that a domestic trophy has not entered the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet since 2018.