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When substitutes become heroes or zeroes for penalties - after Kepa's Carabao Cup agony

It is either seen as a heroic gamble or a misjudged Hail Mary, but bringing on substitutes solely for their part in a penalty shootout has crept steadily into football.

For goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in Chelsea's Carabao Cup penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Liverpool, the risk did not pay off.

More on that later, of course, but the fact Thomas Tuchel was willing to thrown him on says everything about how the sport has come to embrace these late gambits.

Kepa Arrizabalaga blazed his penalty over in Chelsea's Carabao Cup final defeat by Liverpool

There have been times when bringing on players for spot-kicks has worked, with Kepa cropping up as the hero for his side in their Super Cup victory last August.