Crystal Palace Triumphs Over Liverpool; Newcastle, Arsenal Advance

Crystal Palace secured a commanding 3-0 victory against Liverpool in the fourth round of the League Cup, marking a significant moment in the competition. This loss adds to Liverpool’s struggles, as it represents their sixth defeat in seven matches across all competitions.

The match at Anfield featured an evenly contested first half until the 41st minute, when Crystal Palace’s **Ismaila Sarr** capitalized on a defensive mistake by Liverpool’s **Joe Gomez**. After an unsuccessful clearance, Sarr seized the opportunity, firing a powerful shot past goalkeeper **Freddie Woodman**. Just before halftime, Sarr struck again, following a clever reverse pass from **Yeremy Pino**.

Liverpool faced further adversity when **Amara Nallo** received a red card in the 79th minute for a foul on **Justin Devenny**, marking his second dismissal in just two senior appearances. Pino sealed the match with Palace’s third goal in the 88th minute, deepening Liverpool’s woes. “It’s not of Liverpool standards to lose six out of seven,” said Liverpool manager **Slot**. When asked if their upcoming Premier League match against **Aston Villa** was crucial, he responded, “Every Liverpool game is a must-win.” This result marked the first time since February 1934 that Liverpool lost a domestic cup match at Anfield by three goals without scoring themselves.

Newcastle and Arsenal Shine in Fourth Round

In other fourth-round matches, **Newcastle United** advanced with a 2-0 win over **Tottenham Hotspur** at St James’ Park. Goals from **Fabian Schar** and **Nick Woltemade** propelled Newcastle into the quarterfinals. Manager **Eddie Howe** expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, noting the importance of maintaining their winning attitude despite making eight changes to the lineup.

**Arsenal** also progressed, defeating **Brighton & Hove Albion** 2-0. Eighteen-year-old **Ethan Nwaneri** broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, followed by a second goal from **Bukayo Saka** in the 76th minute. Arsenal manager **Mikel Arteta** celebrated the evening as “very special,” highlighting the debut of young players such as **Max Dowman** and **Andre Harriman-Annous**.

In a surprising match, **Manchester City** faced a challenge from second-tier **Swansea City**. After falling behind due to a goal from **Goncalo Franco**, City rallied with three goals, including a deflected equalizer from **Jeremy Doku** and a late strike from **Rayan Cherki** that sealed a 3-1 victory.

**Chelsea** managed a thrilling 4-3 win against **Wolverhampton Wanderers**. After establishing a 3-0 lead, Chelsea saw Wolves fight back to narrow the gap. Despite a red card for Chelsea’s **Liam Delap** late in the game, a goal from **Jamie Gittens** ensured the victory, although Wolves’ **David Moller Wolfe** scored twice to keep the match competitive.

Quarterfinal Matchups Set

The draw for the quarterfinals has set exciting matchups. **Arsenal** will face **Crystal Palace**, while third-tier **Cardiff City** will host Chelsea. **Newcastle United** will take on **Fulham**, and **Manchester City** will host **Brentford**. The quarterfinal matches are scheduled to take place during the week of **December 15**. Notably, four of the quarterfinalists—Brentford, Fulham, Cardiff City, and Crystal Palace—have never claimed the League Cup title.

The results of this round have intensified the competitive landscape of the League Cup, with several teams looking to make their mark as they move towards the latter stages of the tournament.