According to a report by Football London on Thursday, 29 October 2026, Mike Penders delivered an encouraging performance for Chelsea against Liverpool despite their elimination from the Carabao Cup, responding positively to the costly mistake he made during their Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The young goalkeeper made three saves during Chelsea’s fourth-round clash at Anfield. However, the Blues eventually suffered a 6-5 penalty shootout defeat after the match ended 1-1.

Penders had come under criticism following Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham last weekend, when his attempt to punch the ball clear resulted in an own goal that handed Spurs the lead.

The 21-year-old was therefore under pressure ahead of the Liverpool encounter, with Chelsea looking to secure a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their disappointing league performance.

Although Penders could not prevent Chelsea from losing the shootout, his individual statistics indicated that he had responded well to the pressure.

According to Sofascore, the Belgian goalkeeper made three saves, including two from shots inside the penalty area. He also registered one high claim, highlighting his ability to deal with aerial threats during the match.

However, his distribution remained an area that required improvement. Penders completed 19 of his 35 passes, recording a passing accuracy of 54 per cent.

His long-ball performance was less impressive, as he completed just three of his 19 attempts, giving him an accuracy rate of approximately 16 per cent.

Despite these shortcomings, Penders made several important interventions to keep Chelsea in contention against Liverpool.

The match proved a difficult evening for Xabi Alonso’s side, who took the lead through a penalty converted by Morgan Rogers before Cody Gakpo equalised three minutes later.

Neither team could find a winner during normal time, forcing the contest into a penalty shootout. Penders made one save during the shootout, but Wesley Fofana’s missed attempt ultimately proved decisive as Chelsea lost 6-5.

The defeat ended Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals, leaving Alonso to turn his attention back to the Premier League.

Chelsea will face Manchester United on Saturday, giving Penders a potential opportunity to further demonstrate his recovery from the costly mistake against Tottenham.