Liverpool flirted with what would have been a embarrassing low in their poor start to the season as they were taken to penalties by fourth tier Carlisle United, but came through to reach the League Cup fourth round on Wednesday.
Newcastle United were less fortunate as their woeful start to the campaign continued with a 1-0 defeat to second division Sheffield Wednesday, while the night’s showpiece fixture ended with Arsenal beating north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 with two goals from Mathieu Flamini.
It was an easier evening for holders Chelsea, who cruised into the fourth round with a 4-1 win over third tier Walsall, while Southampton thrashed Championship side Milton Keynes Dons 6-0 and Manchester United made light work of Ipswich Town, winning 3-0 at Old Trafford.
Record League Cup winners Liverpool would have expected an equally comfortable evening at home to lowly Carlisle.
Brendan Rodgers’s side, however, came into the game without a win in five games in all competitions, with confidence at a low ebb.
They eventually secured a 3-2 shootout win when Bastien Hery’s tame effort for Carlisle was easily saved by Adam Bogdan, but the performance will have done nothing to alleviate the mounting pressure on the Liverpool boss.
The Merseysiders had taken an early lead in the game through Danny Ings but were pegged back by a goal from Derek Asamoah after 34 minutes then could not find a breakthrough despite battering at the door and missing a series of chances.
SURPRISE HERO
Tottenham could also feel aggrieved after dominating swathes of their clash with Arsenal but had nothing to show for their efforts after Flamini proved a surprise hero.
The holding midfielder poached the first from close range in the first half and then hit a superb volley on the run after the restart after an own goal from Calum Chambers had levelled the tie at White Hart Lane.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who had fumed after their Premier League defeat to Chelsea at the weekend, was in a far happier mood.
“Overall it was a convincing performance because we were unlucky to score an own goal and we found the resources to score a second,” he told reporters. “He is a fighter Mathieu and a winner as well.”
Chelsea moved seamlessly forward after making light work of third tier Walsall, with midfielder Ramires putting them ahead after 10 minutes with a header, before Loic Remy doubled their advantage with a sidefoot finish.
Walsall pulled one back on the stroke of halftime through James O’Connor but a sharp finish from Brazilian Kenedy through the keeper’s legs and a drive from distance from Pedro completed a comfortable win.
All the goals in Southampton’s 6-0 victory over MK Dons were spread evenly between Jay Rodriguez, Sadio Mane and Shane Long, who each bagged a double.
Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren, who has failed to win any of his first six Premier League games, will be under increasing pressure after they were beaten at home by Sheffield Wednesday.
Lewis McGugan scored the only goal of the match after 76 minutes with a drilled effort from outside the area.
Manchester United fans were treated to another goal from French teenager Anthony Martial, his fourth in four games for the club, after efforts from Wayne Rooney and midfielder Andreas Pereira had set them up for a straightforward win over Ipswich.
Crystal Palace won 4-1 at home to Charlton and Norwich City won an all-Premier League clash against West Bromwich Albion 3-0.
