Chelsea and Manchester City Advance in EFL Carabao Cup

It was a thrilling night of Carabao Cup fourth-round football as Chelsea and Manchester City sealed their places in the quarter-finals, while Liverpool suffered a shocking home defeat to Crystal Palace.

At the Molineux Stadium, Chelsea edged Wolves 4-3 in a pulsating contest that had goals, drama, and late nerves. The Blues started brightly, racing into a two-goal lead through Andrey Santos and Tyrique George, both assisted by the impressive Jamie Gittens. Brazilian wonderkid Estêvão added a stunning third with a delightful lob over goalkeeper José Sá. Wolves mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, scoring twice through Tolu Arokodare, but Chelsea held on despite Liam Delap’s late red card. The victory sends Enzo Maresca’s side into the last eight, where they will face Cardiff City.

Meanwhile, Manchester City bounced back from an early scare to defeat Swansea City 3-1 away. City trailed after Goncalo Franco’s 12th-minute opener but responded through a deflected Jeremy Doku strike. Second-half goals from Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki completed the comeback. Cherki was the standout performer, contributing a goal and assist while creating six chances — marking his best display since joining Pep Guardiola’s side.

At Anfield, the headlines belonged to Crystal Palace, who stunned Liverpool with a comprehensive 3-0 victory. Ismaila Sarr scored twice and Yeremy Pino added a late third as Palace dominated a struggling Reds side. Liverpool’s youngster Amara Nello saw red in the second half, capping a miserable night for Jürgen Klopp.

Elsewhere, Arsenal continued their fine form with a comfortable 2-0 win over Brighton, featuring goals from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka. The Gunners’ youthful energy once again impressed Mikel Arteta, who hailed the “courage and maturity” of his young players.

With Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Crystal Palace all progressing, the Carabao Cup quarter-final lineup promises high-stakes clashes between Premier League heavyweights and rising sides full of belief.