Liverpool have failed to win any of their last three meetings with Chelsea, actually claiming victory in only three of their last 11 encounters, not including shootouts. The Blues though have won just two of their last 13 visits to Anfield, one behind-closed-doors and the other in the League Cup.
This is undeniably the tie of the round in the EFL Cup, so check out our preview, predictions, team news and TV info.
Liverpool vs Chelsea match info
- Date: Wednesday 28 October 2026.
- Kick off times: 8pm (local) & 4pm (ET)
- Competition: Carabao Cup fourth round
- Venue: Anfield - Merseyside
- How to watch: ITV1 and Sky Sports (UK) and Paramount+ (USA).
How can I watch Liverpool vs Chelsea?
Country | Broadcaster(s) |
|---|---|
UK & Ireland | ITV1, ITVX and Sky Sports Main Event |
United States | Paramount+ |
Australia, New Zealand, France and Arab world | beIN SPORTS 1 |
Canada and Japan | DAZN |
Africa | SuperSport MaXimo 2 |
South and Central America | ESPN |
India | FanCode |
Germany, Austria and Switzerland | Sky Sport Premier League |
Nordic nations and Netherlands | Viaplay |
Italy | Como TV |
Portugal | Sport TV3 |
Türkiye | S Sport+ |
Liverpool vs Chelsea match preview
Can record ten-times EFL Cup winners Liverpool move one step closer to another Wembley date? To commence this season's Carabao Cup campaign, the Reds pretty easily swatted aside Spurs 3-1 in round three. Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo both on target, before Dominik Szoboszlai's rocket made victory secure.
More recently, Andoni Iraola's side have really started to find form, winning back-to-back Premier League games. On Sunday, Liverpool overcame previously unbeaten Brighton 2-0 at home, thanks to quick fire goals from Florian Wirtz, albeit later credited as an own goal, and then Alexander Isak.
It is a big couple of days at Anfield, with Premier League champions Arsenal visiting on Sunday. Thus, having such a tough League Cup fixture in mid-week is far from ideal, but no Liverpool fan will want to lose this tie against a modern-day rival.
As for Chelsea, with no European commitments, the Carabao Cup is given added importance. Since 1996, all three times the Blues have been out of Europe, they have reached a domestic cup final, hoping that trend continues.
So far in this season's competition, they have overcome Luton Town 2-0 and Leeds United 6-3, both at home, fighting back from 2-0 down in the latter. Now, Xabi Alonso will return to Anfield, standing in the visitors' dugout, despite the fact many wanted him to succeed Arne Slot on Merseyside.
Well, Alonso needs a win to win over his current fanbase. The Spaniard's curious tactics and approach have been widely blamed for Saturday's miserable 2-0 defeat at the hands of fierce rivals Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, leaving many supporters furious. Here though, will the 6,025, who are making the long journey north, bedecked in blue to be in the Anfield Road lower have a win to celebrate, or can Liverpool make home advantage count?
Liverpool team news
Expect Andoni Iraola to heavily rotate for this tie. Giorgi Mamardashvili will be donning the gloves, while Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez, teenager Trey Nyoni and striker Lewis Koumas are set to be among those to come in too. Having bagged a pair of assists against Villarreal, Rio Ngumoha will be starting against the club he left to join Liverpool.
Florian Wirtz picked up a knock against Brighton, thereby forced off, but is expected to be available. However, both Víctor Muñoz and scorer in the previous round Dominik Szoboszlai will both miss out.
Chelsea team news
Xabi Alonso is without first-choice goalkeeper Emi Martínez, due to a fractured jaw suffered across the city at Everton. So Mike Penders, after marking his first Premier League start with a calamitous own goal, will be hoping for better this time.
Chelsea are also without Pep Chavarría, Reece James and João Pedro due to injury, the latter a massive blow, while Cole Palmer's brainless red card against Tottenham means he is suspended.
Thus, Estêvão will come into attack while, unlike at the weekend, Danny Welbeck is expected to lead the line. Lastly, what reception will Jordan Henderson receive, facing the side for whom he appeared almost 500 times?
Predicted Line-ups
- Liverpool predicted lineup: Mamardashvili; Araújo, Gomez, Endō, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Nyoni, Wirtz; Chiesa, Koumas, Ngumoha.
- Chelsea predicted lineup: Penders; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Henderson, Caicedo, Hato; Estêvão, Rogers, Welbeck.
- Score prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea.
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