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What was said: Conte can't wait for Chelsea reunion, Liverpool boss hails unlikely hero

There were plenty of talking points from a frantic night of Carabao Cup action.

The quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup were completed on wednesday night with some highly absorbing contests.
Ultimately, it was Tottenham, Chelsea, and Liverpool who kept the dream alive, while West Ham, Brentford, and Leicester were left to rue a missed opportunity.
As ever, though, the managers had plenty to say about things after the games.

Tottenham 2-1 West Ham

Antonio Conte singled out a couple of Tottenham players for special mention after the game, which he said he always knew was going to be a very tough one.

Conte: "West Ham, they eliminated United and City. I think that in England the level is very, very high and now let's see. It is a good game."

"Tonight, (Matt) Doherty and Steven, they played a really good game and that means they are working well," Conte added.
"They are involved towards what we want to do and I am always very clear with my players. They have to give me ability, then if they deserve to play, they play.
"The most important thing is when they play, they have to give me everything. It doesn't matter a good game or bad game but I have to see players totally involved in what we want to do.
"We are working well and many players that we are working, I am seeing a big improvements.
"For sure I would like to see more personality when we have the ball, especially in the moments when we are suffering but I know we are going step by step.

"I know that I can't ask all of this in two months but for this reason, I am asking patience and asking for time because we need to improve if we want to be a bit competitive."

Chelsea will face Tottenham in the next round, meaning Conte gets to go up against his former club. 

"For sure it will be nice and good to play against Chelsea for me. I spent two amazing seasons with Chelsea and I enjoyed a lot and everything there, but now I am the manager of Tottenham and I am ready to give everything for this club.

West Ham boss David Moyes, meanwhile, lamented his side's misfortune in the draws they had been given but was keen to stress the competition was low down on the list of the Hammers' priorities.

Moyes: "We did an awful lot of good things, but the result was not a good thing.

"If you had given me European football, Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Premier League, I think without me saying it everybody would know where exactly this would come in terms of what you want to do well in
"But when you win at Old Trafford, then beat Man City on penalty kicks at home, you start to think this could maybe be our year.
"I think the draw and maybe the timing as well, because Tottenham are sort of reinvigorated a bit."

Brentford 0-2 Chelsea

Chelsea supremo Thomas Tuchel said the circumstances surrounding Chelsea's win made it a special one.

Tuchel: "We had a brilliant performance and a brilliant result, given the circumstances.

"We were very disciplined, very structured and had individual quality. Well done to the boys. I'm super happy
"The three boys did well. They did not train for a week because the academy was closed, then we invited them to train with us for two days.
"They listened carefully and did their job. And the seven guys that played with them supported them. They did well and were involved in a good performance."

Thomas Frank, on the other hand, expressed his disappointment but said he hoped Pontus Jansson, who broke the deadlock with an own-goal, did not blame himself for Brentford's defeat.

Frank: "According to the game plan we gave nothing away and they couldn't find a solution, and we had by far the best chances in the first half. So first half, tick! We should have been in front.

"But in the second half we struggled to create anything. We defended well and gave nothing away until the 80th minute, when we needed to do better.
"Pontus will blame himself but he's had a fantastic season. Two minor mistakes gave them their goals and that was the difference today."

Liverpool 3-3 Leicester (Liverpool win on penalties)

Jurgen Klopp said he was unhappy with some of Liverpool's concentration in the first half, but he was generally happy with the performance - especially that of Takumi Minamino who scored a last-minute equaliser for the Reds.

Klopp: "At half-time, we told the boys I like the game apart from the mistakes around the goals. We needed to switch it more often, play in half spaces and accelerate it more often.

(On Minamino): "Top goal, top performance. He played a really good game. So cool for him he could score that in the best possible moment, he deserved his goal for all he did."

Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, was incredibly disappointed after watching Leicester twice surrender a two-goal lead.

Rodgers: "You saw the second half with the injuries, we had to change the structure. First half we were excellent.

"If you come to Anfield and score three and should get four or five.... Defensively you are going to have to suffer.
"We threw everything at it and it looked like we were going to get through. I was so disappointed for the players but they gave it everything."

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