Xabi Alonso returns to Anfield for the third time as a manager and the first in charge of Chelsea on Wednesday, when the Blues face Liverpool in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

The London side have defeated Luton Town and Leeds United to progress this far, while Andoni Iraola's men beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the previous round and now aim to reach the competition's quarter-finals.

Match preview

Chelsea continue to blow hot and cold under Alonso, as underlined by their dispiriting performance against Spurs on Saturday when supporters arrived at Stamford Bridge expecting business as usual.

Instead, Roberto De Zerbi's men outplayed the 2025 Club World Cup winners en route to securing a 2-0 victory, Tottenham's first triumph at the Bridge since 2018.

It could and probably should have been a heavier defeat, too, which will have been particularly disappointing for the club's supporters only one week after their team overcame Everton away from home.

However, Alonso must lift his crestfallen players and regain the support of fans accustomed to seeing Chelsea defeat Spurs even on their bad days.

For that to happen, the Spanish manager will hope to be third-time lucky at Anfield, having suffered 4-0 and 1-0 defeats there as Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid head coach, with his teams conceding five goals and scoring none.

As such, the Reds will relish the prospect of facing their former midfielder on Wednesday as they aim to reach the competition's quarter-finals.

Iraola's men have suffered only one defeat in all competitions this season, a 3-0 reverse against Manchester City at the start of the month that followed Ryan Gravenberch's dismissal for two bookable offences.

The match was goalless before the Dutchman was punished with around 30 minutes remaining, suggesting that the Merseyside giants may otherwise have preserved their unbeaten start under the Spanish boss.

The Reds have been flawless since their collapse against City, recording four consecutive victories across all competitions, including last week's 4-3 Champions League triumph over Villarreal after trailing 2-0 inside the opening half-hour.

That sequence has also featured a comeback victory over nine-man Brentford, a 6-3 success against LASK Linz days after the 3-0 loss to Enzo Maresca's troops on Merseyside and Sunday's 2-0 win over Brighton, which brought their first clean sheet in five matches.

Having proved themselves capable of thriving in different game states, Liverpool will be backed by Iraola to outlast Chelsea at Anfield and reach the last eight of the EFL Cup at the expense of his friend Alonso.

Liverpool EFL Cup form:

Liverpool form (all competitions):

Chelsea EFL Cup form:

Chelsea form (all competitions):

Team News

Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk could be given Wednesday night off as Iraola makes changes to his team ahead of Liverpool's clash with defending Premier League champions Arsenal on Super Sunday.

Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz may also be rested, with the latter having exited against Brighton due to an apparent foot injury before allaying fears of a serious problem in his post-match comments.

Cody Gakpo and the talented Rio Ngumoha are likely to play significant roles in attack, with the teenager setting up two goals against Villarreal last week.

James McConnell and Lewis Koumas could also feature from the start on Wednesday, with Iraola potentially giving Alexander Isak and Barcola a rest ahead of the Reds' test against Arsenal.

On the injury front, the home side have several concerns: Wirtz and Victor Munoz (knee) are doubtful, while Conor Bradley (knee), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Jeremie Frimpong (muscle), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Dominik Szoboszlai (muscle) are unavailable.

Chelsea are without the suspended Cole Palmer, with the attacking midfielder set to miss the midweek clash following his sending-off against Spurs at the weekend.

Also absent through injury are Reece James (knee) and Emiliano Martinez (broken jaw), while Joao Pedro, Pep Chavarria, Emmanuel Emegha and Jamie Gittens will be assessed before the trip to Anfield.

Barring any late issues or tactical surprises, Estevao Willian is expected to play a major role in Chelsea's attack, with the teenager hoping to make his first start in over a month after playing 45 minutes in the EFL Cup third-round tie against Leeds.

Depending on Alonso's midfield configuration, the Blues could opt for a back four or five, with the former likely to see Jordan Henderson return to Anfield in a three-man midfield unless the manager selects Valentin Barco, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Danny Welbeck could start against the Merseyside club, having scored five goals in 28 appearances against them, while Morgan Rogers may also feature despite playing 90 minutes against Spurs and Manchester United visiting on Saturday lunchtime.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Araujo, Jacquet, Gomez, Kerkez; Nyoni, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, McConnell, Gakpo; Koumas

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Penders; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Palestra; Caicedo, Lavia, Barco; Estevao, Welbeck, Rogers

We say: Liverpool 3-2 Chelsea

The expected rotation and both teams' defensive absentees could produce an open contest between two lineups containing several players keen to impress.

Chelsea have enough individual talent to threaten, but Liverpool's recent comeback victories suggest that the hosts are better equipped to prevail if the tie becomes chaotic.

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