Liverpool's season took another disastrous turn as they were unceremoniously dumped out of the League Cup with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace. The loss, at Anfield, marks the sixth defeat in seven games for Arne Slot's struggling side across all competitions. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Manchester City advanced to the quarter-finals with victories over Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City respectively.
Crystal Palace delivered a clinical performance, with Ismaila Sarr bagging a brace right before halftime, breaking the scoreless deadlock in the 40th minute and making it 2-0 in the 45th. Yeremy Pino compounded Liverpool's misery with a third goal in the 87th minute. Liverpool's woes were further compounded by Amara Nallo's dismissal in the 79th minute after receiving his second yellow card. Slot had chosen to rest most of his regular starters, a decision that ultimately backfired. The Liverpool manager acknowledged the team's poor form, stating, "It's not of Liverpool standards to lose six out of seven". He also emphasized the importance of their upcoming Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, declaring that "Every Liverpool game is a must-win". This defeat marked the first time Liverpool had lost a domestic cup match at Anfield by three goals without scoring since 1934.
In contrast, Arsenal secured their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Brighton. Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka scored in the second half to seal the win for the Gunners. Notably, 15-year-old Max Dowman became Arsenal's youngest-ever starter, while 17-year-old Andre Annous also made his debut. Arsenal will now face Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals. Manager Mikel Arteta lauded his team's performance, particularly praising the younger players for making a significant impact.
Manchester City also progressed to the next round, overcoming Swansea City 3-1. After going behind to a Goncalo Baptista Franco goal in the 12th minute, Jeremy Doku equalized in the 39th minute. Omar Marmoush put City ahead in the 77th minute, and Rayan Cherki added a third in stoppage time. City will host Brentford in the quarter-finals as they pursue a ninth League Cup trophy. Despite missing key player Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola's side demonstrated their ability to perform.
The other quarter-final matchups will see Cardiff City host Chelsea, and Newcastle United, the current title holders, will play Fulham at home. The quarter-final matches are scheduled to take place during the week of December 15.
