England stopper Jack Butland was the hero for Stoke City as they beat Chelsea on penalties in a remarkable evening of League Cup action on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old, who won his second cap for the Three Lions in their final UEFA European Qualifier away in Lithuania earlier this month, saved Eden Hazard’s penalty to see his side through to the quarter finals.
The game had finished 1-1 after Loic Remy’s last-gasp equaliser for the Blues, who also featured England defender Gary Cahill, but five perfect penalties for the Potters dumped the holders out.
Theo Walcott limped off at Sheffield Wednesday
Elsewhere, there was plenty more drama, as the in-form Jamie Vardy was unable to help Leicester City over the line at Hull City.
Vardy, who has scored in his last seven Premier League games, played a key part when the Foxes went ahead ten minutes into extra time as his shot was pushed straight to Riyad Mahrez who prodded home.
But after Abel Hernandez levelled for Hull six minutes later the game went to penalties and, despite Vardy finding the target with his effort, Leicester ended up on the wrong end of a 5-4 loss.
England Under-20s internationals Isaac Hayden and Moses Odubajo played 120 minutes for Hull while Under-21s striker Chuba Akpom came off the bench to score in the shootout.
Everton also went through on spot-kicks after a 1-1 draw with Norwich City. John Stones played the full 120 minutes for the Toffees while Ross Barkley joined the action as a second half substitute to coolly dispatch his penalty kick.
“The injuries are muscular and the injury damage I do not know.”
Arsene Wenger Arsenal boss
However, Under-21s forward Nathan Redmond saw his effort miss the target as Everton went through.
There was some bad news for England boss Roy Hodgson, though, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain limped off five minutes into Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, only for his replacement Theo Walcott to exit 13 minutes later with a calf problem.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was uncertain over the extent of the injuries to his two forwards on a "bad night" for his side.
"The injuries are two muscular injuries and the injury damage I do not know," he said after the game. "Walcott is a calf and Oxlade-Chamberlain is a hamstring.
"You have to wait 48 hours for the scans to see how big the damage is.
"It was a bad night at the office, we lost two players and after that we were not good enough, but on top of that you have to congratulate Sheffield Wednesday."
Hodgson will be hoping the Gunners' attacking duo will be back fit when his team face Spain and France next month.
Tickets for the meeting with the French at Wembley on Tuesday 17 November are still available. You can buy online via www.TheFA.com/tickets
