Morgan Rogers of Chelsea during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea suffered EFL Cup heartbreak at Anfield, losing 6-5 on penalties to Liverpool after a 1-1 draw. Wesley Fofana’s performance was the story of the game for all the wrong reasons.
Morgan Rogers put the Blues ahead from the penalty spot after Moises Caicedo won a spot-kick, but their lead lasted only a few minutes before Cody Gakpo equalised. Fofana had conceded the penalty after accidentally handling the ball with his arms raised.
Chelsea could not find a winner in normal time, and Fofana ultimately missed the decisive penalty after Emmanuel Emegha squandered an earlier chance to put his side through. Rogers has now reacted to the first of Fofana’s two costly mistakes.
READ MORE:Chelsea handed huge boost despite Liverpool defeat as midfielder overcomes three-year barrier
Can you remember a worse performance than Wesley Fofana's vs Liverpool? Tell us your ratings in the comments 👇
I’d play a 3421 with Rogers & Estevao behind Emegha against Man U. I’d rather give Subuloye his debut than see Fofana again
Fofana MUST leave Chelsea club IMMEDIATELY. He must NOT play for Chelsea again Alonso MUST start giving Estevao enough playing times in 4:2:3:1 & 4:3:3 Formation
Morgan Rogers reacts to Liverpool’s frustrating equaliser
Morgan Rogers was frustrated by how quickly Chelsea surrendered their advantage, especially after a promising start quieted the Anfield crowd. Asked about the timing of Liverpool’s equaliser, the £117 million signing explained how difficult it was for the Blues to concede just three minutes after taking the lead.
“Yeah, especially here. I think we quieted down the crowd. We had a really good start,” Rogers told ITV Sport. “We got our feet into the game and took the lead. To concede so quickly, bringing it back to 1-1, was difficult… It is disappointing to concede straight after [scoring].”
Chelsea went into half-time level at 1-1 and could not find another goal after the break. The fourth-round tie therefore went to penalties, where the Blues eventually lost 6-5.
Wesley Fofana’s handball was costly, but Rogers’ comments focused on the frustration of conceding rather than blaming his teammate. Unfortunately, Chelsea have developed a habit of shooting themselves in the foot with avoidable mistakes at crucial moments in recent seasons.
🗣️ "It’s tough in that environment, at the Kop taking a penalty – it’s not easy." Morgan Rogers speaks with Gabriel Clarke after Chelsea’s shootout defeat to Liverpool 🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 https://t.co/EDnyytyY9n
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 28, 2026
Morgan Rogers refuses to blame Chelsea’s penalty takers
Despite the disappointment of another cup exit, Morgan Rogers refused to criticise Wesley Fofana, Emmanuel Emegha or Valentin Barco after all three Chelsea players missed their penalties in the shootout.
Fofana’s miss proved decisive, while Emegha had earlier squandered the chance to win the tie. However, Rogers insisted that stepping up to take a penalty at Anfield deserved respect over blame.
He added: “Listen, it’s tough in that environment at the Kop, taking a penalty. It’s not easy, so there’s no blaming anyone who had so much courage to take it. I look at them in the eye, stepping up and being that person to take it. You can never have any faults with that.”
Rogers’ comments showed his support for his teammates after a painful defeat. Chelsea must now turn their attention back to the Premier League, with their Anfield heartbreak lingering ahead of Saturday’s clash with Manchester United.