Liverpool kicked off their Carabao Cup defence with a penalty win over Derby.

A largely youthful Reds’ side held their Championship counterparts for 90 minutes, leading to another shootout to settle the deadlocked third round tie.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott all converted from 12 yards to see Jurgen Klopp’s side into Thursday’s draw for the next round.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Kelleher now king of the shootouts

Caomhin Kelleher is the embodiment of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup adventure.

Alisson’s understudy had already established himself as a bona fide penalty specialist, winning three and scoring in last season’s final against Chelsea.

But the Republic of Ireland international is now firmly established as Anfield’s king of the shootouts after saving the most attempts from 12 yards out.

Previously, Kelleher lagged behind Pepe Reina’s five-stop tally but a trio of denials saw him overtake the Spaniard and seal the Reds’ fourth round place.

In only his 18th outing for Jurgen Klopp’s side, he successfully denied Conor Hourihane, Craig Forsyth and Lewis Dobbin to claim a fourth shootout victory.

Klopp is under no illusions that such imperious displays only serve to heighten the attention Kelleher receives and raise questions about his long-term future.

Liverpool remain determined to retain the 23-year-old’s services but a stopper of his current calibre is too good to be restricted largely to cup competitions.

For now at least, Kelleher continues to prove worth his weight in gold.

Reds continue to do it the hard way

In its various guises, the League Cup has become a Liverpool hallmark.

Winning the competition a record nine teams means that the first available silverware of any new season is considered fair game for the Anfield club.

Not that anyone heading to this game should have expected this to be an easy passage into the fourth round; recent history already shows it never is.

Home encounters at any stage of this competition are seldom formality-like affairs, as their last victory inside 90 minutes in Klopp’s tenure fully attests.

It last occurred in November 2016, when a fledgling Trent Alexander-Arnold starred in a record-setting win over erstwhile Championship dwellers Leeds.

That track record coupled with Liverpool’s fluctuating season delivered yet another nail-biting evening as Kopites continue to crave a return to normality.

A shift to their previous status quo might be around the corner – just don’t expect it to arrive in a competition which goes the distance, quite literally.

Bold Doak is a star in the making

The early rounds of this competition have long served as a springboard for Klopp to unleash some of Liverpool’s burgeoning academy prospects.

None, however, captured the imagination in the game quite like Ben Doak.

Still two days away from his 17th birthday, the winger belied his tender years when making a senior debut as Fabio Carvalho’s 74th-minute replacement.

What followed was an explosion of talent as Doak routinely hared towards The Kop’s imposing goalmouth, scheming past several Derby players at will.

A scrapbook moment beckoned with his first touches, bearing down on goal before excitement got the better of him and fired into the advertising boards.

The Anfield crowd making their feelings known on the Scottish-born player’s early gumption by roaring in approval only served to boost his confidence.

Beyond his willingness to take on opponents, Doak’s ice-cold composure will have left Kopites wondering whether they had witnessed a star in the making.

Time will tell on that, but the early signs are highly encouraging.