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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has insisted that his side didn't even play that well as it swept Liverpool aside by three goals to nil at Anfield.
The Eagles set up a quarter-final clash with Arsenal in the League Cup with a convincing victory over the Reds. Arne Slot made wholesale changes to his starting XI and Ismaila Sarr had Crystal Palace two goals up by half-time. Yeremy Pino put the icing in the cake for the visitor with a few minutes remaining.
"Good win today," Glasner told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It took us 15 minutes to be in the game — we did well, scored nice goals, and controlled the match.
"I don't know how often this happens when you play the champion three times within three months, and you win three times. So, credit to the players."
Slot felt that his decision to play a youthful side mixed in with a few senior stars who needed the match action was the right one, and Glasner said that those who started were still dangerous.
"We didn't know who they were going to play," he added. "Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo, Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister. Mac Allister is a world champion and yes, a few young players. Rio Ngumoha has shown already he can score goals.
"First 15 minutes we didn't do well, we had the feeling we were still in the hotel beds. We played slowly into the game, and we scored nice goals. The performance was OK, but it was not a great performance."
Crystal Palace, like Liverpool, has not been in the best form of late. But while the Reds are now under pressure to ensure that they improve ahead of a big week, the Eagles have taken another step towards Wembley.
"I saw Manchester City's starting XI and they didn't have one starter from the weekend but it felt like their best team," Arne Slot said in his post-match press conference, defending his decision to change things up.
"That is a bit of an insight. Chelsea can bring Estevao in. After I made two substitutions tonight, we had six teenagers."
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Before kick-off, Slot said this was a good chance for his side to get back on track, but it failed to take that opportunity.
"It goes without saying that our recent form has not reached the standards that you expect of us or that we expect of ourselves," he wrote in the matchday program. "This is, of course, a major disappointment, especially given the positive start we made to the season.
"From our perspective, there are no excuses. Yes, we are aware of the reasons and we will discuss them, but the one thing we cannot and will not do is use them as an excuse.
"Our responsibility is to recognize what is happening and put things right. There is no other option.
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