Xabi Alonso will walk back out at Anfield as a visiting manager for the first time after Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final draw sent his Chelsea side to Liverpool. The Spaniard, a Liverpool player between 2004 and 2009, now faces his former club with a place in the last four at stake.

The draw was made on 27 October following the completion of the fourth round, which included Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Fleetwood Town. Liverpool against Chelsea was the standout pairing of the eight.

Alonso’s road back to Merseyside

Alonso was appointed on a four-year contract on 17 May, with his deal running from 1 July 2026. He arrived at Stamford Bridge from Bayer Leverkusen.

Liverpool were widely tipped to pursue Alonso when Arne Slot’s position came under pressure. The club instead appointed Andoni Iraola from Bournemouth, with Alonso already committed to Chelsea.

Read also: Mussolini’s great-grandson scores for Lazio – but his shirt tells a different story

Asked at his unveiling why he had taken the Chelsea job rather than wait for a possible return to Anfield, Alonso told reporters it came down to “timings”.

United and Spurs already out

Two of the division’s traditional heavyweights are not in the last eight. Manchester United were knocked out in the third round, and Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated in the fourth round, thinning the Premier League contingent in the quarter-finals.

The quarter-final ties

The quarter-final draw produced the following ties, to be played in the week commencing 14 December:

• Liverpool vs Chelsea

The remaining seven ties follow the open ballot made after the fourth round. Bradford City’s progress means at least one club from outside the Premier League is guaranteed a place in the semi-finals.

Read also: Messi pulls off remarkable Ballon d’Or surprise as Haaland suffers unexpected blow

Read also: Max Verstappen dealt major blow as Red Bull admit problem won’t be fully fixed until 2027