Liverpool got the better of one of its former stars after knocking Xabi Alonso's Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup, with the Blues boss performing a strange U-turn after the game
Xabi Alonso is still waiting for his first win at Anfield as a manager
Xabi Alonso is still waiting for his first win at Anfield as a manager(Image: Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso made a rather strange U-turn after his Chelsea side was knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool, having insisted it was the “least important competition” for his team.
The Reds secured their place in the quarterfinals after getting the better of their former midfielder, with Liverpool eventually going through thanks to a 6-5 triumph in a penalty shootout.
The loss comes as another blow to Alonso after his side suffered a rare home defeat to Tottenham at the weekend, and with no European football this season, Chelsea now has just two trophies left to play for — and the Premier League might not seem too realistic a target.
Nevertheless, Alonso tried his best to downplay the significance of his side’s exit from the Carabao Cup, having suggested that his side had placed great importance on it just a few hours before.
Speaking before kick-off on Wednesday, Alonso told Sky Sports: "We are coming to Anfield, and we want to be in the next round. From the beginning, we have taken it seriously."
Indeed, Alonso picked an experienced side to face Andoni Iraola’s comparatively young team, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck starting alongside Moises Caicedo.
Xabi Alonso named an experienced Chelsea side against Liverpool, including former Reds captain Jordan Henderson
Xabi Alonso named an experienced Chelsea side against Liverpool, including former Reds captain Jordan Henderson(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Yet, once the penalty shootout was over and his side’s exit was confirmed, Alonso took a different approach.
“Well, for sure, the outcome is not what we wanted,” he told reporters. “It is not what we expected before the game. You know once you reach the penalties, there's going to be a sad side. This is us in that case.
“But I would say that the game we have played to a very good competitive level, good performance. We showed an improvement, I would say. That's what we wanted.
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“We played with courage. The game was really, really close. It could have gone either way. Not many chances for both sides. And we have tried to overcome difficult moments as well. After the injury, we had to deal with and to change a few things.
“But it's a small setback in this competition. It's probably the least important competition for us in the year, so we need to move on. And as soon as we leave Anfield, our focus is Saturday, is Premier League. This is the main and the most important thing.”
While Chelsea’s focus will solely be on the league until it enters the FA Cup in January, Liverpool remains in the mix for four trophies this season.
The Reds’ reward for overcoming the Blues is a meeting with Bournemouth in December’s quarterfinals, although the immediate attention will turn to a huge game against Arsenal on Sunday, when they will have the chance to narrow the gap to the defending Premier League champions to three points.