The Premier League’s big boys entered the League Cup fray on Tuesday, and not, not two, but three top-flight teams went to penalties with lower league outfits.
Southampton and Leeds United lived to fight another day, but Everton was sent packing by Queens Park Rangers in spot kicks.
Elsewhere, there was little drama for Liverpool and Manchester City in blowout wins (though City did trail early to Wycombe Wanderers).
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City scored six goals and Brentford put seven home, while Burnley turned around a 1-0 deficit to Rochdale through four Jay Rodriguez goals in the second half.
Lower-division sides to advance include Preston North End, Sunderland, and Stoke City, with the Potters knocking out Watford.
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Norwich City 0-3 Liverpool
Takumi Minamino’s first minutes of the season yielded a first goal since scoring in 2 of his first 3 starts on loan to Southampton in the second half of last season, and he’d later add a second as Liverpool eased past the Canaries at Carrow Road.
Divock Origi assisted Minamino’s goal and then scored off a Kostas Tsimikas feed as the Reds insulated their lead and did not have to use any of the regulars Jurgen Klopp left on the bench including Jordan Henderson, Diogo Jota, and Andy Robertson.
Klopp also rested Sadio Mane, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk, and Joel Matip.
QPR 2-2 (8-7 pens) Everton
The goals came thick and fast in the middle portion of the first half at Loftus Road, where Charlie Austin sandwiched a brace around Lucas Digne’s equalizer for the visitors.
Andros Townsend stayed in form and scored just after the break to get the Toffees on level terms for the final 40-plus minutes.
Both teams made their first six efforts when Everton’s Ben Godfrey was saved by Seny Dieng, who was adjudged to come off his line too early (if he did, it was by millimeters).
But Tom Davies’ cheeky, tame, low penalty was soon pushed off the post by Dieng, leaving Jimmy Dunne to win it with a penalty.
Sheffield United 2-2 (2-4 pens) Southampton
Saints, too, got a scare at Bramall Lane when Enda Stevens opened the scoring after eight minutes and the Blades didn’t go away when their Premier League visitors answered twice.
Ibrahima Diallo and Mohammed Salisu scored on either side of halftime to make it 2-1, but Oliver McBurnie had it level again in the 66th.
McBurnie missed his penalty and so did Rhian Brewster, while Southampton scored four-of-five to win it.
Manchester City 6-1 Wycombe Wanderers
This was a whole new version of “men against boys” as City started one player born in 2002, three in 2003, and a fourth in 2004 all in positions in front of goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
So it was less of a surprise that Wycombe Wanderers took the lead when City was heads and tails on a corner kick, Brandon Hanlan tapping in a Ryan Tafazolli feed just over 21 minutes after kickoff.
Phil Foden would later score a beauty and assist goals from Ferran Torres and Kevin De Bruyne as City eased to a comfortable win at the Etihad Stadium.
Riyad Mahrez scored City’s other goals.
City had controlled the proceedings to that point and quickly reassumed its grip on the wheel.
De Bruyne calmly leveled the score after some fine work from Phil Foden to drive play.
The Belgian drove a low shot through a defender’s legs and past a flying Wycombe keeper David Stockdale to make it 1-1 in the 29th minute.
Mahrez had it 2-1 before halftime moments after smashing the far post. The Algerian got a cutback feed from one of City’s late-2002 birthday: Josh Wilson-Esbrand.
That’s when Foden tore the roof off the place and the cover off the ball with a fantastic left-footed drive that Stockdale could not handle en route to the side netting.
Tuesday’s League Cup results
Manchester City 6-1 Wycombe Wanderers
Watford 1-3 Stoke City
Fulham 0-0 (5-6 pens) Leeds United
Wigan Athletic 0-2 Sunderland
Burnley 4-1 Rochdale
Norwich City 0-3 Liverpool
Preston North End 3-1 Cheltenham Town
Sheffield United 2-2 (2-4 pens) Southampton
Brentford 7-0 Oldham Athletic
QPR 2-2 (8-7 pens) Everton
Wednesday’s League Cup fixtures (all games kick off at 2:45pm ET unless otherwise noted)
Brighton vs Swansea – 2:30pm ET
Millwall vs Leicester City
Wolves vs Tottenham
Manchester United vs West Ham United
Arsenal vs AFC Wimbledon
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
League Cup: Man City hits 6, Brentford 7; Everton, Leeds, Saints to pens originally appeared on NBCSports.com