Liverpool supporters were left wondering what they had just witnessed after a strange incident involving Virgil van Dijk and Chelsea debutant Emmanuel Emegha during Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup showdown at Anfield.
The incident happened in the 72nd minute, shortly after Emegha came on as a second-half substitute. Van Dijk had already played a backward pass to Trey Nyoni when the Chelsea forward suddenly charged towards his fellow Dutchman and appeared to shove him to the ground, despite the ball having moved away.
Van Dijk looked visibly confused as he got back to his feet and exchanged words with referee Darren England.
😳 Emegha’s night got even worse!
The 23-year-old later had an opportunity to win the penalty shootout for Chelsea after Mike Penders saved Ryan Gravenberch’s effort. However, Giorgi Mamardashvili denied Emegha, helping Liverpool secure victory after the match finished 1-1 in normal time.
The unusual clash with Van Dijk, followed by his missed penalty, made it a difficult night for the Chelsea debutant.
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will be delighted with the result, having made it clear before the game that winning the Carabao Cup was one of his ambitions.
The Reds will now face Bournemouth in the quarter-finals in December, giving Iraola a genuine opportunity to pursue silverware in his first season in charge.
🔥 What was Emegha thinking when he pushed Van Dijk?
The bizarre moment has left fans questioning the Chelsea forward’s actions, especially with the ball nowhere near the pair.
WATCH THE INCIDENT BELOW 👇
