The Premier League had already kicked off in August, with the major clubs having played five matches each. Now, they've embarked on their League Cup campaigns. On Tuesday night, Liverpool and Chelsea took to the field for their third-round matches. Liverpool secured an easy victory against second-division Southampton, winning 2-1. In another match, Chelsea faced Lincoln FC. Despite winning 2-1, the team's performance will likely keep coach Mauricio Pochettino concerned. Chelsea scraped through to the next round.
Against Championship side Southampton, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp primarily aimed to assess his reserve bench players. Endo, Quansah, and Ngoumou were given opportunities in the starting eleven. However, star striker Darwin Núñez started from the beginning. He managed to score his first goal in a Liverpool jersey. In the 43rd minute, Quansah capitalized on an error by the opposing goalkeeper. From his cutback in the box, Núñez gave Liverpool the lead.
The scenario remained unchanged in the second half. However, in the 76th minute, Shea Charles equalized for Southampton from a corner. In the 86th minute, Robertson sent a long ball from midfield. Quansah controlled it and passed to substitute Hugo Ekitike. He didn't miss the opportunity to slot it into an open goal.
After scoring the winning goal, Ekitike removed his jersey to celebrate, earning a yellow card. He had already received one earlier, resulting in a red card and his dismissal from the field. This incident was far from pleasing for coach Jürgen Klopp. Ekitike will miss Saturday's Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea also had to struggle to win against third-division club Lincoln FC. While giving prominence to reserve bench players, Gallagher and Enzo Fernández were in the starting eleven. Nevertheless, Chelsea fell behind in the 42nd minute due to Rob Street's goal. In the second half, the Chelsea coach brought on Estevão and Pedro Neto.
In the 48th minute, 19-year-old striker Tyrique George equalized for them with a bullet shot. Within 2 minutes, 20-year-old Facundo Buonanotte scored from Tyrique's pass. The match ended with a 2-1 scoreline.