Thomas Tuchel was pleased Chelsea were able to overcome some last-minute changes to team selection to edge past Southampton following another penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup.
The Blues required spot-kicks to see off Aston Villa in the previous round at Stamford Bridge and it was the case again in the last-16 after Che Adams’ tap-in cancelled out Kai Havertz’s 44th-minute opener.
Both sides had chances to grab a second but penalties were required and although Mason Mount was denied from 12 yards by Fraser Forster, Theo Walcott and Will Smallbone fired off target for Saints to ensure Chelsea progressed by a 4-3 score.
After Tuchel saw Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek ruled out a day before the fourth-round tie, he was happy to reach the quarter-finals.
“We had some last-minute changes because three potential starters got injured in training so it was not planned like this and not so many options from the bench,” he said.
“We knew it was the first time we played together like this and things would be tough against a team who put so much pressure on you like Southampton and that was the way it was.
“It was a nice match of football, good performances by both teams and a tough match but in the end we win with a penalty shoot-out.”
