Daniel Sturridge’s stunning overhead kick wasn’t enough as Eden Hazard’s brilliance sw Chelsea complete a late comeback to dump Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup.

A rather tame cup tie came to life in the second half with Sturridge’s opener which had looked to send Liverpool through to the fourth round, but Eden Hazard, on as a second half sub turned the match on its head by setting up Chelsea’s opener, then scored a sensational late winner himself.

Liverpool had controlled much of the match but they were made to pay by not putting the game to bed despite Sturridge’s goal. The English striker and Sadio Mane were both culpable when they missed gilt-edged chances after being put through by Chelsea’s own defenders.

AS IT HAPPENED: Liverpool 1 Chelsea 2

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The Reds were left ruing those misses when Emerson equalised from Hazard’s free kick. The Belgian then delivered the coup de grace himself with a sensational solo goal with 10 minutes remaining.

He picked the ball in midfield, played it out wide, got it back, chopped inside Naby Keita and then ghosted past Alberto Moreno before blasting the shot across goal and and past Simon Mignolet.

The match was almost a curtain raiser when they meet again at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and both sides took the chance to ring the changes, making eight each.

Jurgen Klopp gave Fabinho his full debut and handed rare starts to Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne and Sturridge. Meanwhile, Maurizio Sarri resisted the urge to inject youth into his starting XI by naming an experienced squad which was captained by Gary Cahill.

Both sides made an enterprising start at a slightly subdued Anfield, as Chelsea duo Andreas Christensen and Willian forced saves from Mignolet either side of Keita’s early attempt for Liverpool.

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Fabinho was prominent in his role anchoring the Reds’ midfield, belying his lack of match fitness since arriving from Monaco in a £44m summer deal. However, it was Chelsea who settled quickest after that early flurry and it was the Blues who created the first real chance fell of the evening.

Alvaro Morata latched on to Cesc Fabregas’ glorious lofted pass, and while Mignolet reacted well to swat away his first shot, with the goal gaping Morata could only fire his follow up wide from an acute angle.

As half time loomed Liverpool finally offered a goal threat. Willy Caballero had to be at full stretch to keep out Keita’s powerful shot, before the Argentine reacted sharply to keep out Sadio Mane’s free header.

Liverpool were beginning to threaten and they should have gone in front almost from the restart. Sturridge latched on to Christensen’s shocking back pass but the striker having done the hard part in rounding Caballero, somehow conspired to put his shot wide as the Kop watched on.

Chelsea then almost gifted Liverpool another goal as Ross Barkley headed the ball straight to back to Mane but Caballero was on hand to spare the former Everton star’s blushes.

Sarri had seen enough and sent on Eden Hazard but the winger could do nothing to stop Sturridge making amends for his earlier miss in spectacular fashion.

Keita, again, was at the heart of it; his curling shot was well kept out by Caballero but he could only parry the shot back into the field of play with Sturridge lurking. The striker still had plenty to do but he reacted brilliantly to get up and send his overhead kick into the unguarded net.

However, despite hardly having a sniff in the second half, Chelsea were level with 10 minutes of normal time left. Keita was controversially deemed to have fouled on the right, Hazard whipped the ball in, Barkley’s header was palmed out by Mignolet but Emerson was on hand to poke in from a few yards out.

VAR was consulted as it appeared two Chelsea players were offside for Barkley’s header, but they were deemed to not be impacting play.

The game had opened up again and Sturridge almost won it for Liverpool but his long-range shot hit the bar with Caballero beaten.

But Liverpool’s misses were put in stark contrast however when Hazard’s majestic solo goal settled the match and completed Chelsea’s turnaround.

It was Liverpool’s first loss this season and Klopp’s men will need to pick themselves up for Saturday’s Premier League re-match at Stamford Bridge.