According to a report by Football London on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has described Chelsea as "great opposition" after the Reds eliminated the Blues from the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout at Anfield.

Gomez praised Chelsea despite Liverpool securing qualification for the next round following a tense fourth-round encounter.

Chelsea initially looked capable of claiming victory after Morgan Rogers converted a penalty in the 40th minute.

However, Cody Gakpo equalised from the spot shortly afterwards, sending the contest into a penalty shootout after neither side managed to find a winning goal during normal time.

The decisive moment came when Chelsea forward Emmanuel Emegha missed an opportunity to secure victory during the shootout.

Wesley Fofana subsequently missed his penalty, allowing Liverpool to advance and ending Chelsea's hopes of winning the trophy this season.

Speaking after the match, Gomez acknowledged the quality of the opposition while emphasising Liverpool's determination to defend their Carabao Cup title.

"We know it goes to pens straight after the game. So when it got later in the game, we knew it could. The boys fought hard. Obviously great opposition, we’ve had tough draws, but we want to go and win it again and we know we can," he said, according to Liverpool's official website.

Despite the disappointment, Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders offered a positive takeaway for manager Xabi Alonso.

The young goalkeeper recovered from his costly error against Tottenham Hotspur by making several important saves during the match and denying Ryan Gravenberch in the penalty shootout.

Fofana, however, endured a difficult evening. The defender conceded the penalty converted by Gakpo before missing his own attempt, contributing to Chelsea's elimination from the competition.

The defeat followed Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League loss to Tottenham, increasing scrutiny of Alonso's side as they continue to search for greater consistency in their performances.