After Liverpool were battered by Aston Villa on Tuesday evening, the remainder of the Carabao Cup quarter-finals took place just 24 hours later.
Here’s a conclusive round-up of what happened on the night…
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Oxford City 1-3 Manchester City
A brace by Raheem Sterling ensured Carabao Cup holders Manchester City remain on course to win the competition for a third consecutive year after a 3-1 victory over Oxford sent them through to the semi-finals.
Matty Taylor cancelled out Joao Cancelo’s first-half opener 21 seconds into the second period, but that was as good as it would get for Karl Robinson’s side against Pep Guardiola’s men.
The Spaniard had shown the hosts plenty of respect with his team selection and despite a few scary moments, saw his players come through unscathed.
Guardiola went strong for the quarter-final tie, with Sterling captaining the XI and leading an attack which included Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and highly-rated Phil Foden.
City assistant coach Mikel Arteta was in attendance at Kassam Stadium and completing his duties despite speculation surrounding his future, with Arsenal said to be close to appointing him as their new head coach.
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Manchester United 3-0 Colchester United
Marcus Rashford set Manchester United on course for the Carabao Cup semi-finals as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side finally broke Colchester’s resolve at Old Trafford.
After two trophyless seasons for the red half of Manchester, the Red Devils have a shot at reaching March’s Wembley finale.
Sky Bet League Two side Colchester made it tougher than the eventual 3-0 scoreline suggested, but Solskjaer’s side kicked on after a frustrating first half as Rashford and Anthony Martial scored either side of Ryan Jackson’s own goal.
John McGreal’s men did their 5,000 travelling fans proud as the U’s made their first visit to Old Trafford, with the lowest ranked team left in the competition stymieing the illustrious hosts – whose boss Solksjaer marks a year in charge on Thursday – through doggedness and discipline in the first half.
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Everton 2-2 Leicester City (Leicester win 4-2 on pens)
Kasper Schmeichel was the hero for Leicester as the Foxes defeated Everton on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for the first time in 19 years.
In scenes reminiscent of Everton’s Premier League victory over Chelsea, interim manager Duncan Ferguson hoisted a ball boy above his head in celebration after Leighton Baines drilled in a stunning 90th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 at the end of normal time.
That completed a second-half comeback, with Tom Davies netting in the 70th minute after James Maddison and Jonny Evans had scored in quick succession in the first half for Leicester.
Jordan Pickford’s stunning save from Maddison in the first action of the shoot-out had Everton fans dreaming of a perfect comeback but Schmeichel denied Cenk Tosun and, cruelly, Baines to put Leicester on the front foot.
It was left to Jamie Vardy to confidently convert the decisive spot-kick, giving Leicester a 4-2 victory in the shoot-out and maintaining manager Brendan Rodgers’ remarkable record of not having lost a domestic cup competition since April 2015.
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