Xabi Alonso to face Liverpool for third time as manager, having lost both previous away matches

Liverpool's official website released pre-match statistics for the Carabao Cup fourth-round home game against Chelsea. The two teams are about to meet for the 202nd time in all competitions. Xabi Alonso will lead his team to Anfield for the third time in his managerial career, having lost on both previous occasions.

Pre-match data summary:

This will be the 202nd encounter between the two teams in all competitions. Previously, Liverpool won 87 matches and drew 48, losing 67.

The last two times the two sides met in the Carabao Cup were in the finals of 2022 and 2024.

In Liverpool's last 12 Carabao Cup matches, this will be the 8th time they have faced a team from London.

Liverpool has previously played London teams 55 times in the Carabao Cup, winning 34 matches.

Liverpool's last 3 Carabao Cup losses at Anfield have all been against London teams: Chelsea in the 2018-19 season, Arsenal in the 2020-21 season (won on penalties), and Crystal Palace in the 2023-24 season.

This is the second time in Liverpool's last nine seasons that they have played their first two Carabao Cup matches at Anfield, the last time being in the 2023-24 season.

Liverpool needs 4 more goals to reach the milestone of 300 goals against Chelsea in all competitions.

Among all of Liverpool's opponents, Chelsea is the team they have faced most often in penalty shootouts, with four shootouts in total, all won by Liverpool.

If Van Dijk scores in this match, he will become Liverpool's third-oldest goalscorer in the Carabao Cup at 35 years and 112 days old, behind only Gary McAllister (36 years and 288 days) and Sir Kenny Dalglish (35 years and 358 days).

Joe Gomez captained Liverpool in the previous round against Tottenham Hotspur. He is currently the active Liverpool player with the most Carabao Cup appearances, with 21.

To date, Gomez has captained Liverpool 7 times in his career, 5 of which were in Carabao Cup matches.

If Liverpool successfully advances to the next round, Araujo or Milos Kerkez would be suspended for the next match if they receive a yellow card in this game.

This will be Xabi Alonso's third time leading a team to Anfield. In November 2024, his Bayer Leverkusen lost 0-4 here; almost a year later, his Real Madrid team lost 0-1 at Anfield.

Chelsea has played 10 matches in all competitions this season, with 6 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses, scoring 25 goals and conceding 18.

Currently, four Chelsea players have participated in all 10 matches this season: Maxence Lacroix, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Pedro Neto.

Chelsea's last win at Anfield occurred in March 2021, when Mount scored the only goal in a Premier League match played behind closed doors, securing a 1-0 victory.