Xabi Alonso urges Chelsea to move on after Liverpool shootout heartbreak

Chelsea were beaten on penalties at Anfield on Wednesday after a tightly contested match finished 1-1. Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo scored from the spot during normal time, but Liverpool eventually prevailed in the shootout during sudden death.

Although frustrated by the result, Alonso believes Chelsea showed encouraging signs of progress against the Reds.

"Once you reach penalties, there's going to be a sad side. It is us in this case, but I have to say that during the game we played at a very good competitive level," he said.

"It was a good performance. We showed an improvement, I would say. That's what we wanted."

Alonso was pleased with the courage his players showed in a close contest that offered few clear-cut chances. Chelsea also had to cope with difficult moments, including an injury to Max Lacroix.

"We played with courage. The game was really close; it could have gone either way," Alonso added.

"It's a small setback, but we need to move on. As soon as we leave Anfield, our focus is Saturday's Premier League game."

Chelsea will host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge as they look to respond immediately to their cup disappointment.

Mike Penders is expected to continue in goal during Emiliano Martinez's absence, and Alonso praised the Belgian goalkeeper for showing composure after the previous defeat against Tottenham.

"He looked really solid with good composure, like he had dealt well with Saturday," Alonso said. "That is what it takes in this job to overcome difficult situations, and he did quite well."

There was also sympathy for Emmanuel Emegha, who made his Chelsea debut as a substitute but saw his penalty saved in the shootout.

"It's hard to make your debut with that moment that could mean everything for him, for us," Alonso said.

However, the Chelsea manager stressed that his players must learn from setbacks rather than dwell on them, with the visit of Manchester United now taking priority.

"It is about learning from all the experiences, even like today when it was a sad one," Alonso said. "As soon as we get on the bus, I move on. I think about United."