Elli & Kelle give Rams the welly
DUO SPOT-KICK HEROES
CAOIMHIN KELLEHER, who scored the winning penalty in the final against Chelsea last season, ensured Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defence did not fall at the first hurdle with three saves in a shoot-out.
Harvey Elliott put Liverpool in the fourth round as the home side won 3-2 from the spot.
But it was Liverpool’s back-up keeper who was the hero denying Conor Hourihane, Craig Forsyth and Lewis Dobbin from 12 yards.
Jurgen Klopp fielded an inexperienced line-up as he looked to book a place in round four of the competition which brought silverware last season.
Five were making their first starts for the club – right-back Calvin Ramsay, midfielders Bobby Clark, Stefan Bajcetic and forwards Melkamu Frauendorf and Layton Stewart.
It was understandable perhaps with Derby not in the best of form after just two wins in their last nine in all competitions and having drawn with National League strugglers Torquay in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Things did not quite pan out as hoped with Derby reaching half-time level after a turgid first half low on quality and chances.
Liverpool posed the greater threat but could not quite find their range with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kostas Tsimikas volleying wide and Stewart finishing a one-two with Fabio Carvalho with a lofted effort which sailed over.
The second half started in a more lively fashion, Max Bird pulling a shot just wide after a fortunate rebound off Nathaniel Phillips gave him a second stab. Liverpool then forced two saves from Derby goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, first from Oxlade-Chamberlain then Carvalho.
Frauendorf had a decent chance, the 18-year-old German heading Tsimikas’s cross back across goal when, as narrow as the angle was, he might have had a go at goal himself.
It was better from Liverpool but Klopp still introduced big guns Darwin Nunez, Roberto Firmino and Elliott on the hour mark.
The changes almost paid immediate dividends, Firmino trying to poke a bouncing ball past Wildsmith only to be denied by the keeper’s shoulder.
Both David McGoldrick and Nunez had chances to head home as the play stretched, both failing to find the net as the match drifted towards the penalty shoot-out.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Kelleher 6; Ramsay 6, Phillips 6, Gomez 6, Tsimikas 6; OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN 7, Bajcetic 6, Clark 6 (Elliott 66, 7); Frauendorf 6 (Firmino 66, 7), Stewart 5 (Nunez 66, 6), Carvalho 6 (Doak 74).
DERBY (5-4-1): Wildsmith 6; Smith 6 (Rooney 90), Cashin 6, Forsyth 6, Roberts 6, Sibley 5; Mendez-Laing 7 (Thompson 70, 6), Hourihane 6, Bird 6 (Knight 90), Osula 5 (Dobbin 61, 7); Collins 6 (McGoldrick 61, 6).
REFEREE: Tony Harrington 7.