Liverpool needed extra time to see off League One side Notts County in their League Cup second round match this evening, eventually running out 4-2 winners.
Raheem Sterling opened the scoring after just four minutes as he danced past a couple of tackles before firing in from the edge of the box.
Daniel Agger hit the foot of the post before Daniel Sturridge doubled Liverpool's lead with a powerful strike into the far corner following Steven Gerrard's pass.
Gerrard also hit the post at the end of the first half, while Kolo Toure made it three times unlucky in the second period when he struck the woodwork from close range.
Notts County pulled off an unlikely comeback in the second half, with Yoann Arquin making it 2-1 before Adam Coombes calmly slotted the ball home from close range with less than 10 minutes of normal time left.
Liverpool were reduced to 10 men in extra time when Toure was stretchered off after Brendan Rodgers had used all three subs, but his side hit the visitors on the counter attack in the 105th minute when Sturridge squeezed a shot past the keeper.
Jordan Henderson then put the result beyond doubt when he made a surging run from midfield before calmly sliding the ball into the corner.
You can read how an enthralling 120 minutes of football unfolded with Sports Mole's live play-by-play coverage below.
Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as League One side Notts County look to pull off a major upset against Liverpool in the Capital One Cup. Let's get straight down to business.
We'll start by looking at our hosts tonight, and manager Brendan Rodgers must be delighted with the start that Liverpool have made to the new season. After a successful pre-season campaign that was only interrupted with a minor blip against Celtic, they have won their first two matches of the Premier League season to put them second in the table at this very early stage.
Those two wins have both been by 1-0 margins, but the performances shown by Liverpool perhaps deserved more goals. They have received plaudits for their early season form and, although we are expecting a much-changed outfit to appear today, Rodgers will be eager to continue that this evening.
It is fair to say that Liverpool have been eased into the season somewhat. The old cliche goes that there are no easy games in the Premier League, but they could have had a lot harder tests than Stoke City and Aston Villa in their first two matches, even considering Villa's shock 3-1 win over Arsenal on the opening day. Things will get tougher for Liverpool - with their first big test coming on Sunday when they take on Manchester United at Anfield - but tonight is another match that they will go into expecting to win.
It has also been a fairly comfortable baptism for their new signings. Simon Mignolet has already made himself a firm favourite with the Liverpool fans by making a number of very important saves, including one from a late penalty on his debut, while the likes of Kolo Toure and Iago Aspas have also impressed. All three of them could miss out this evening, but another new boy, Luis Alberto, could be given a chance.
TEAM NEWS: In fact, I can confirm now that Alberto will make his competitive debut for the Reds this evening. Liverpool have, as expected, made a few changes, but it is still a string team that Rodgers has put out, including Mignolet, Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge. Aly Cissokho also makes his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt. Full team news for both sides coming up.
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Johnson, Cissokho, Toure, Wisdom; Allen, Gerrard, Alberto; Sterling, Ibe, Sturridge
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Jones, Agger, Aspas, Coutinho, Henderson, Lucas, Borini
NOTTS COUNTY STARTING XI: Bialkowski; Dumbuya, Stevens, Liddle, Smith; McGregor, Bell, Labadie, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Fotheringham; Arquin
NOTTS COUNTY SUBS: Coombes, Thompson, Spiess, Tempest, Boucaud, Murray, Nangle
That is an interesting team selection from Rodgers, who certainly seems to be taking this competition seriously. I must say that I didn't expect Gerrard or Sturridge to start with Manchester United less than a week away, but Rodgers insisted that he was going to show Notts County respect and that team selection certainly echoes that.
The main dangerman for the Reds tonight will be Sturridge, who has started the season in blistering form. He has scored both of Liverpool's goals and has looked sharp in his general play too. On the wings, the youthful duo of Sterling and Ibe will be looking to get some valuable experience have played a reasonably big role in the pre-season campaign. Ibe in particular drew plenty of plaudits for his performances, so he could be one to look out for tonight.
All in all, it is a good mix of youth and experience for the hosts. The old, wise head of Toure will act as a good influence on the talented but inexperienced Wisdom, while Allen and Gerrard in particular will be able to guide debutant Luis Alberto through the match - should he need it of course. Mignolet's selection is, I think, a wise one. You don't really need to worry about resting goalkeepers, and when a new one comes into a squad as Mignolet has done, he will benefit from playing every available game. Another clean sheet - which he can be expecting tonight - will build his confidence even more too.
As for Notts County, their main attacking threat will probably come from Yoann Arquin tonight. The Magpies have not exactly been formidable as an attacking threat so far this season, but the man from Martinique has still bagged himself two goals.
The visitors are missing a number of first-team players, however. Captain Dean Leacock, Alan Sheehan, Enoch Showunmi and Danny Haynes were all unavailable for their match on Saturday and none have recovered in time for the game tonight. They will be as gutted as anyone - playing at Anfield is an opportunity that will not come around too often for them.
While we're on the subject of Notts County, let's have a look at their recent form which, I'm afraid to say, does not make good reading for the club's fans. They have managed just one point from their opening four league matches and currently sit 21st in League One. That is 62 places below Liverpool in the Football League.
Their last outing ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Stevenage, while they have also been beaten by Sheffield United and Peterborough already this season. Their solitary point came against Walsall in the match before last as they managed a 1-1 draw.
They have, however, picked up one win this season which, it just so happens, came in the last round of this competition. They were drawn against Fleetwood in the first round and ran out 3-2 winners at Meadow Lane - although only one of their goalscorers from that match (Callum McGregor) is on show tonight.
That was their first win in this competition since 2010, so the League Cup hasn't exactly been a happy hunting ground for the Magpies over the years. Last season they were beaten by Bradford in the first round, although any shame that they may have had quickly evaporated when the Bantams went on to claim the scalps of Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa on their way to an unlikely final.
Liverpool's history in this competition, on the other hand, is unmatched. They have won the trophy a record eight times, the last of which came as recently as 2012 when Kenny Dalglish's side beat Cardiff in the final. The Reds are also responsible for the cup's longest period of domination, winning it four years in a row between 1981-84.
It hasn't been all smiles for Liverpool in the League Cup, though. They were knocked out by manager Brendan Rodgers's former side Swansea in the fourth round last season, while Notts County will take even greater heart from the fact that lowly Oldham Athletic dumped them out of the FA Cup at the same stage last season.
Going even further back, Liverpool have certainly been no strangers to shock cup exits in recent years. Northampton Town pulled off a famous giant killing in this competition in 2010, while Crystal Palace knocked them out in 2005 when Liverpool were the reigning champions of Europe. Who could also forget Djimi Traore's comical own goal against Burnley that sent them out of the FA Cup in 2004-05?
Some more optimism for Notts County may also come from the fact that Liverpool have not won any of their last three League Cup games at Anfield, drawing two and losing one. If the Magpies could get a draw this evening then they would be delighted as, not only have they pulled off a major shock, but they would get a money-spinning home replay against a big team.
However, for all the statistics that point towards the possibility of a shock, there are also plenty that say Liverpool will win this match. Notts County have not won any of their last 12 meetings with Liverpool, losing nine and drawing three. The last of these was way back in 1992, just before the birth of the Premier League, when County were in what was then the top flight. Liverpool cruised to victory on that occasion, winning 4-0.
Even more worrying for Notts County is their record at Anfield. They have not scored a goal at the famous old stadium in their last five visits, unsurprisingly losing on every occasion.
Overall, these two sides have met each other 40 times, with Liverpool enjoying the lion's share of the wins. They have come out on top 23 times, while Notts County have won 10 with seven draws. Liverpool also win when it comes to goal difference between the two sides, scoring 72 to the Magpies' 41.
PREDICTION: We are 10 minutes from kickoff at Anfield, which means that it is time for my match prediction! Well, I struggle to see anything than the most obvious result tonight. Liverpool do have something of a history of going out to lower league sides, but Rodgers has named a strong side and is evidently taking this very seriously. Notts County will certainly be up for the game and will look to use their momentum to make a fast start, but Liverpool's superiority should ultimately prevail. I'm going to plump for a 4-0 home win, with Sterling, Sturridge (2) and Borini as a sub getting on the scoresheet.
Speaking of Sterling, the youngster was named in the latest England squad this afternoon, which will have been an immensely proud moment for him. He will have a few familiar faces alongside him too as Gerrard, Johnson and Sturridge have all also been included.
There are plenty of other League Cup fixtures taking place tonight, and I will keep you bang up to date with any notable scorelines from around the country. I will keep a particularly close eye on matches involving Premier League teams, but there are plenty of intriguing ties involving sides from the lower leagues that could well provide some great entertainment.
There are also a couple of Champions League matches going on tonight, and you can follow Arsenal's exploits with Sports Mole as they look to defend and/or build upon their 3-0 first leg lead over Fenerbahce. Just click here to join Sian Cowper for that match.
The teams are out and the hands have been shaken ahead of this match. It is a huge match for Notts County's players, who will not be expecting to win this one but will be looking to enjoy their moment in the big time.
Plenty of eyes will be on Jordan Ibe this evening. The youngster is very highly rated at Anfield and games like this are perfect to give him some first-team experience.
KICKOFF: The traditional 'You'll Never Walk Alone' rings around the stadium before being replaced by a roar from all four sides of the ground as the match gets underway. Notts County have brought an impressive 3,000 visiting fans with them today.
A rushed pass from Cissokho asks too much of Sterling and the visitors immediately burst forward, but Labadie runs into a dead end and the ball rolls out for a goal kick.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Notts County (Raheem Sterling)
Brilliant start from Liverpool, and it is a fine solo effort from Sterling on the day that he was called into the England side. The 18-year-old picked up the ball around 35 yards out and immediately ran at the heart of the defence. A clever run from Sturridge creates space for Sterling to dart into, and he eludes two tackles before firing it past the keeper from the edge of the box. Bialkowski perhaps could have done better, but take nothing away from Sterling.
CLOSE! Sterling has made a very good start to this match. He hounds the ball down and wins a free kick in a shooting position that Gerrard looks very interested in. Sure enough, the skipper steps up and curls a good effort just wide, although Bialkowski looked to have it covered.
SAVE! Mignolet is forced into his first save of the day, and it is a good effort from Labadie. The Notts County man drives a powerful low strike towards goal from a free kick and Mignolet needs to make the save. He parries it right back into the danger area, but Campbell-Ryce can't react in time to turn it in.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Not a great start to Anfield life for Cissokho. The left-back seemed to twist his ankle in an earlier challenge from Campbell-Ryce and will not be able to continue. He is replaced by Daniel Agger.
UPDATE: There has been a goal in Sunderland's match with MK Dons, and it has gone against Paolo di Canio's men. It was Bamford who gave his side the lead at the Stadium of Light.
Gerrard lines up his first shot from range, but it isn't one of his trademark piledrivers. He just gets under it and it is never troubling the goal as it flies over. I'm sure that he will have a few of them this evening, though.
Glen Johnson has moved to left-back now, by the way, with Wisdom switching to right-back and Agger slotting in alongside Toure in the heart of the defence. Rodgers forced into an early reshuffle due to that Cissokho injury.
Gerrard slides a lovely through ball to Ibe, but the youngster dwells on the ball for too long when deciding what to do with it. Eventually he makes the correct decision in looking for Sturridge, but the defence have closed him down and block the pass.
McGregor makes a lung-bursting run forward from the edge of his own box, but he is all on his own as he first takes on Alberto before finally being dispossessed by Allen inside the Liverpool area. Good play from the Notts County man, but he needed some support there.
OFF THE POST! Liverpool are inches away from doubling their lead! Gerrard whips a vicious free kick into the box and Agger just needs to flick it on, such is the pace on the ball. The Dane gets a good glancing header in, but his effort comes back off the foot of the post before squirming away back across the box.
CHANCE! Liverpool have a free kick in a very good position, but they choose to take it quickly. It is a clever choice from the hosts as Alberto finds Johnson inside the box, but Smith gets across to make a very important block.
CLOSE! Liverpool are really knocking on the door now! Allen gets a lucky bounce in midfield but then shows brilliant feet on the edge of the box to find Sturridge, who cuts inside onto his left foot before curling an effort just past the post.
UPDATES: Goals are flying in across the country now, and two Premier League teams have just taken the lead in their respective games. West Brom have gone 1-0 up against Newport County, while Norwich now lead Bury by the same scoreline.
Notts County string together a fairly rushed sequence of passes inside their own half, and the away fans respond with a shout of "ole!" every time it reaches a black and white shirt. Not quite like watching Brazil, but the visitors have improved in the last couple of minutes.
You don't associate Sterling with strength or long shots, but he shows a knack for both here. He shakes off a challenge from Dumbuya in midfield before letting fly from 25 yards, only to see his effort fly harmlessly over.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Notts County (Daniel Sturridge)
You just can't stop this man scoring at the moment! It is a lovely move from Liverpool as Allen gives it to Gerrard who, in turn, slides a fine pass to Sturridge inside the box. The in-form striker takes a touch before hammering it past a helpless keeper and into the far corner. Three goals in three games for him this season.
UPDATES: Norwich have taken a 2-0 lead against Bury while Southampton have opened the scoring against Barnsley. Elsewhere, Reading have made an awful start and find themselves 3-0 down to Peterborough after half an hour.
SAVE! Great save from Bialkowski! Gerrard whips a corner in that is just missed by Toure, but Agger is waiting just behind to steer it towards the top corner. The County keeper has to change direction quickly before making a very good one-handed stop to put it out for another corner.
Play opens up for Joe Allen around 25 yards out, but his low shot is straight at the keeper. He is not a natural goalscorer but played in a more advanced role during pre-season and showed himself to have a certain amount of attacking prowess.
PENALTY CLAIM! A strong claim for a Liverpool penalty is waved away by the ref. The visitors were caught short at the back when Sturridge won possession before finding Ibe. Once again, the youngster seems to be caught in two minds with Gerrard making an overlapping run, but eventually he goes alone and is bundled over by Liddle. I have certainly seen them given, but Liddle will claim that it was a shoulder barge. Could have gone either way.
OFF THE POST! Liverpool strike that same post again! Sturridge gives it to Sterling, who holds the ball up while Gerrard steams by on his left. The youngster slides his captain in and Gerrard tries to squeeze it in at the near post, second-guessing that the keeper will anticipate a cross. He was right, but his shot came back off the post.
UPDATES: Plenty more updates to bring you from around the country. Fulham and West Ham have both taken 1-0 leads against Burton and Cheltenham respectively, while West Brom are now 2-0 up against Newport. Derby, meanwhile, have taken a 3-0 lead against Brentford.
A glimmer of an opening for Notts County is quickly thwarted by three Liverpool defenders. Johnson's headed clearance was not good enough and fell to Labadie on the edge of the box. The midfielder faked a shot which almost fooled all three Liverpool defenders, but I think it was Gerrard who just reacted quickly enough to make the tackle.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 2-0 Notts County
Well, Liverpool won't have many more comfortable halves than that this season. They go into the break completely in control and perhaps unlucky to only have a 2-0 lead over a Notts County side who have simply been outclassed.
The goals have come from two players that were called up for the England squad earlier today. Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a fine solo effort, weaving his way between a couple of tackles before firing past Bialkowski from the edge of the box. The keeper could have perhaps done better, but there was nothing he could do about Liverpool's second. Daniel Sturridge controlled a Steven Gerrard pass before firing it into the far corner to keep up his goal-a-game record so far this season.
It could have been even better for Brendan Rodgers's side at half time, but the woodwork came to Notts County's rescue on two occasions. First, Daniel Agger flicked Gerrard's free kick against the foot of the post with the score at 1-0, and Gerrard himself struck the same upright shortly before half time with a shot from a tight angle.
As far as Notts County are concerned, they haven't really had much to shout about so far. They would have come into this match realistically knowing that anything other than a loss was unlikely, but there would have also been a little part of them dreaming of a famous cup upset. There have been no signs of the latter scenario, however, with Mignolet only being forced into one fairly routine stop.
Manager Chris Kiwomya will have a tough team talk ahead of him, and I suppose that all he can really tell his players is to enjoy the rest of the match. At 2-0 they aren't completely out of the tie, but you have to say on the basis of that first half that Liverpool will almost certainly go on to win this one fairly comfortably. An early goal from County could change things, but they will need to improve drastically if that is to happen.
Rodgers, meanwhile, will want more of the same. The lead has been coupled with a good performance and, with the unfortunate exception of the injury to Cissokho, there weren't really any negatives from that half for Liverpool. If the second half goes the same way as the first then Liverpool will eventually score more goals, and it seems to be a question of how much they will win by now.
One decision that Rodgers will have to make is when to withdraw his most important players. With Manchester United on the horizon, he will be keen to protect the likes of Gerrard and Sturridge as soon as he thinks the match is definitely won. That could be at half time, or it could be after another goal, but I would be very surprised if those two in particular stayed on for the entire 90 minutes.
KICKOFF: Liverpool get the second half underway, as a very relaxed looking Sturridge rolls the ball to Alberto. No changes for either side at the break.
Fotheringham catches Ibe in possession in almost releases Arquin through a gaping hole in the Liverpool defence. The pass is too heavy as Mignolet comes out to collect, but such slack defending from Liverpool could see Notts County get a foothold in this match.
Good play from Ibe as he looks like he is going to dart behind the defence before quickly changing direction and latching onto Gerrard's pass in front of his man. He then takes him on but just loses the ball at the vital moment, allowing three defenders to crowd him out and clear the danger.
UPDATES: It is now 3-0 to West Brom against Newport as they go into half time in that late kickoff, while West Ham lead Cheltenham 2-0.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the match is a needless one for Campbell-Ryce. Sterling is protecting the ball on the touchline and the Notts County man comes scything through him from behind. Tackles like that are always going to draw yellow cards.
UPDATES: Most of the Premier League teams are starting to flex their muscles now. Norwich have moved 3-0 up against Bury, while Southampton have doubled their lead against Barnsley. Away from the top division, Peterborough are now 4-0 up against Reading, an incredible scoreline for the League One side.
This second half hasn't quite settled into the rhythm of the first just yet. Liverpool are taking a bit easier now and don't seem to be as intent on attacking at every available opportunity.
PENALTY SHOUT! Sturridge looks indignantly at the referee after his claims for a penalty are turned down. It was a clever first touch from the England man to take him beyond Liddle, who left a leg hanging out. Sturridge initially tries to stay on his feet but when he realises that it is a lost cause throws himself to the ground, and that delay is what caused the ref to wave it away.
Two consecutive corners get the away fans shouting, and they are almost shouting even louder when a Labadie header loops just wide, although Mignolet had it covered.
SAVE! This is better from Notts County, who are enjoying their best spell of the match at the moment. This time McGregor manages to squeeze a shot in and it takes a slight deflection on its way through to Mignolet.
SAVE! Back up at the other end, Johnson manages to dig out a shot from a tight angle, but it was a fairly comfortable stop for Bialkowski.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Notts County (Yoann Arquin)
This one is not over folks! It is route one stuff from Notts County as a long free kick is nodded on by Manny Smith on the edge of the box. None of the Liverpool defenders are commanding enough inside the box to deal with the looping header, allowing Arquin to storm in and power his header in off the bar from the edge of the six yard box.
LIVERPOOL SUB: This is a blow for Liverpool. Joe Allen will not be able to continue and is replaced by Jordan Henderson. The loss of Allen may not be as costly as the fact that is uses up another sub, which means that one of Gerrard or Sturridge will play the full 90 minutes.
UPDATES: There have been goals galore elsewhere in the League Cup tonight. Bristol City are 1-0 up against Crystal Palace, Barnsley and Cheltenham have pulled goals back against Southampton and West Ham respectively and, perhaps most surprisingly of all, MK Dons are now 2-0 up away to Sunderland.
OFF THE POST! Liverpool hit the post for a third time, and this one has to go down as a bad miss. Gerrard zips another fine ball into the box that goes just over the head of Sturridge. Toure does well to react in time to steer it goalwards, but once he does that part he really should score, but his effort comes back off the foot of the post. Luck is not going Liverpool's way right now, could this be Notts County's night?
NOTTS COUNTY SUB: Jamal Campbell-Ryce will not have a part to play if Notts County pull off a famous comeback here. He is replaced by Curtis Thompson with 20 minutes remaining.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Both Gerrard and Sturridge will stay on for the entire match and, what's more, another key player is coming on now. Philippe Coutinho replaces Luis Alberto as Rodgers looks to put this game to bed.
UPDATES: Southampton have restored their two-goal advantage against Barnsley, but it is worse news for Palace, who are now 2-0 down against Bristol City.
CHANCE! Gerrard is being afforded plenty of space to dictate the game right now, and he sends another peach of a pass to Sturridge. The striker has peeled off the last shoulder of the defence to get his head to the ball inside the box, but he can only put it wide. Not the easiest of chances, but Sturridge will have expected to hit the target there.
UPDATES: Bury have pulled a goal back against Norwich to make it 3-1 now, while Derby look set to get the biggest win of the night as they have moved into a 5-0 lead against Brentford. Leicester have also hit five and lead Carlisle 5-2.
UPDATES: Bury have pulled a goal back against Norwich to make it 3-1 now, while Derby look set to get the biggest win of the night as they have moved into a 5-0 lead against Brentford. Leicester have also hit five and lead Carlisle 5-2.
NOTTS COUNTY SUB: Off goes Fotheringham and on comes Andre Boucard, who Rodgers worked closely with during his time at Reading.
YELLOW CARD! Yoann Arquin becomes the second player in the book tonight for a robust tackle. He has no complaints.
Really good chance for Liverpool to kill this game off as a loose pass gifts the ball to Sterling in a very good position. The winger has a simple enough pass to Sturridge, who would be clear through on goal, but he over-hits it and the keeper collects.
UPDATES: This round of matches has been a real goal-fest tonight! Norwich now lead Bury 4-2, Peterborough have moved 5-0 up against Reading and Sunderland have pulled one back against MK Dons. It is 2-1 at the Stadium of Light now and Sunderland have less than 10 minutes to save themselves from a shock defeat.
NOTTS COUNTY: Back at Anfield, Notts County's third and final sub of the day sees Adam Coombes replace Bell.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Notts County (Adam Coombes)
Oh my word, Notts County have done it! Arquin somehow has acres of space down the right flank and advances on goal before opting to cut it back across the face of goal for Coombes to calmly stroke home with his first touch. Very unselfish from Arquin, but how have Liverpool let this one slip?!
CLOSE! It would be heartbreaking for Notts County is they were to lose this one now! The ball falls out to Dan Agger on the edge of the box and the Dane hammers a powerful effort that deflects just wide.
UPDATE: Plenty of drama elsewhere too as Sunderland and Yeovil have both just scored late goals to equalise against MK Dons and Birmingham respectively.
Extra time is looming for these sides now, and Liverpool will not quite be sure how. They look like they were cruising at half time but somehow Notts County found a way back into the match. They have ridden their luck at times tonight, but you can't deny their spirit.
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match. Can either side find a winner or will we be forced into extra time?
Sturridge has a sight of goal and attempts a clever dinked finish, but he gets it all wrong and wastes a good opening for the hosts.
CHANCE! Johnson doesn't give up on a long ball forward and manages to win it back before feeding Sterling on the edge of the box. The youngster doesn't seem too confident in his shot, however, and slices it wide.
The Notts County fans are now asking if they can play Liverpool every week. They are doing an awful lot better tonight than they have managed in League One so far, so it may not be such a ludicrous request!
END OF 90 MINUTES: Liverpool 2-2 Notts County
Well, well, well, what a surprising half of football that was! Liverpool looking in complete control at half time with a 2-0 lead having also hit the post twice. Notts County had barely mustered a shot on goal but, somehow, they managed to rally in the second period and overcome the deficit.
They have certainly had their fair share of luck, but as a League One side coming to Anfield and coming from two goals down, they won't care one bit. Liverpool hit the post three times, but I suppose you could also say that the Reds were not clinical enough in front of goal, while Notts County certainly made the most of their limited chances.
KICKOFF: We're back underway for the third time tonight on a remarkable evening of football. Is there more drama to come at Anfield?
This is certainly not the best preparation Liverpool could have had for the match against Manchester United on Sunday. They will play at least 120 minutes now and have already made all three subs. Rodgers will be praying that nothing happens to the likes of Gerrard or Sturridge.
UPDATES: This has been an astonishing match in its own right, but there has also been plenty of drama elsewhere. Sunderland were 2-0 down against MK Dons until late on but managed to pull off a 4-2 win, Bristol City have beaten Crystal Palace 2-1, Burton have forced Fulham into extra time and Norwich played out a nine-goal thriller against Bury, winning 6-3.
Notts County have started extra time well and are threatening from set pieces. One such threat, however, ends with Liverpool breaking on the counter attack. Sturridge gave the ball to Coutinho, who tried an early shot that lacked the power needed to beat the keeper.
Ooh Rodgers would have been wincing watching that! Gerrard and McGregor both go into a full-blooded tackle and the Liverpool skipper could quite easily be injured there, but fortunately he is fine.
YELLOW CARD! Silly play from Wisdom as he commits a needless foul to become the first Liverpool man in the book. What may be worse for the Reds, however, is that the visitors have another set piece in a good crossing position.
Nothing comes of the free kick, but there is concern over Kolo Toure, who has gone down on the goalline. He seemed to pick up the problem without much contact, which could mean that it is a pulled hamstring. Liverpool have used all three subs and, if Toure is unable to continue, then they will have to finish this match with 10 men. It also means that Toure could miss Sunday's match against United which, with Skrtel injured, would be a big blow.
DOWN TO 10! Indeed, Toure is being stretchered off, and what looked like being a comfortable night for Liverpool at half time has gone even worse. They will finish this match with just 10 men.
Raheem Sterling has dropped into right-back with Wisdom returning to his starting position in the centre of defence. Will Notts County look to exploit Sterling at the back now?
UPDATES: Liverpool aren't the only side having troubles against a lower league side at the moment. Burton Albion have just taken the lead against Fulham and Leyton Orient remain locked at 0-0 with Hull in extra time. Elsewhere tonight, Southampton, Derby and Leicester all scored five goals on the way to winning their respective matches, while Peterborough went one better to beat Reading 6-0.
Toure's injury will result in four additional minutes at the end of the first half of extra time. This is becoming a very long match for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.
YELLOW CARD! Raheem Sterling shows his naivety in defence as he comes flying through the back of McGregor, picking up a yellow card in the process.
Notts County have had 75% possession in the last 10 minutes. Even with their man advantage, that is a massive amount of the ball against a team of Liverpool's quality.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-2 Notts County (Daniel Sturridge)
Oh, seconds after Notts County have a penalty claim turned down Liverpool go down the other end and score! A quick counter attack sees Coutinho give it to Sturridge, who seems to have been forced too far wide to shoot. He still goes for it, however, and his powerful low effort just manages to squirm underneath Bialkowski's hand before trickling over the line.
HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Liverpool 3-2 Notts County
That was the last kick of the half, and it came completely against the run of play. There will be a quick change around now before an inevitable Notts County onslaught on the Liverpool goal as they look to make their man advantage pay.
KICKOFF: Notts County get us back underway for the final time tonight. They dominated possession in the first half of extra time, but can they find that all-important goal in the next 15 minutes?
Liverpool will be happy to play keep ball now, with any attacks being reserved for counter attacks. The likes of Coutinho, Ibe and Sturridge can be devastating on the break, and Notts County will have to be wary of that before committing too many men forward.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-2 Notts County (Jordan Henderson)
That is surely game over now? It is magnificent from Henderson as he picks the ball up just inside the Notts County half, knocks it through the legs of Liddle before collecting it the other side and slotting it past the keeper. Superb solo effort from the midfielder, and Notts County's chances of pulling off a major cupset have just taken a massive hit.
UPDATE: Elsehwere, Hull have taken the lead against Leyton Orient in extra time, while Fulham have just equalised against Burton.
Arquin makes a strong surge down the left flank and manages to squeeze out a low cross that Mignolet has to cut out. He stretches out an arm and the ball bounces off it and out for a corner, which is cleared.
A nice one-two sets up Boucaud for a shooting opportunity, but he gets his effort all wrong, slicing it into the Kop, who greet the ball with ironic cheers. Boucaud gets up with a wry smile on his face and looks like he knows this match is slipping away from his team.
UPDATE: Hull are safely through to the next round having beaten Leyton Orient after extra time. Tranmere 1-1 Bolton, Burton 2-2 Fulham and Yeovil 3-3 Birmingham all look set to go to penalties, though.
Liverpool have done enough to win this one now, but only just. It should have been a lot easier than this, but Notts County deserve plenty of credit for the part they have played in this match.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 4-2 Notts County (after extra time)
Phew! What a night of football at Anfield! Goals from Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool a 2-0 lead going into half time but Notts County pulled off a famous comeback in the second half, with Yoann Arquin and Adam Coombes netting to force extra time. Liverpool were forced to finish the match with 10 men when Kolo Toure went off injured in extra time, but goals from Sturridge and Jordan Henderson eventually sealed a dramatic win for the Reds.
It was a very mixed evening for Liverpool. They were cruising at half time before the shock of Notts County's comeback. Their eventual win will be tempered by the fact that Aly Cissokho, Joe Allen and, most worryingly of all, Kolo Toure were all forced off injured. Gerrard and Sturridge were both also forced to play the entire 120 minutes ahead of a massive Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday, which will not have been in Rodgers's ideal preparation plans.
Massive credit must go to Notts County for having the belief to force extra time. They looked down and out at half time but took their chances when they came along against what was a very strong Liverpool team. They will no doubt be disappointed at not being able to get over the finish line, but they came rightly leave Anfield with their heads held high.
There was plenty of drama elsewhere in the country too, with 80 goals in the 18 matches tonight. That is an average of almost 4.5 per game, which just goes to show how entertaining the League Cup can be. The highest scoring of the lot came at Carrow Road, where Norwich beat Bury 6-3.
Right, that's all I have time for tonight! Thank you very much for joining me for a breathless night of League Cup football. Liverpool will be the happiest side at the end having booked their place in the third round courtesy of a 4-2 win after extra time. Be sure to stick around for match analysis, which should be on site within half an hour, and there will be plenty of reaction to sift through too! From me, though, it is good night!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
