Arsenal U21s beat Gillingham on penalties on Tuesday in the Papa John's Trophy to move four points clear at the top of south group B.
Arsenal won 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Priestfield, as Catalin Cirjan's opener was cancelled out by Gillingham's Trae Coyle.
Liverpool's U21s were beaten 4-2 at Port Vale as they stayed bottom of north group D. Liam Millar scored twice for the Reds, but Mark Cullen, Aled Hurst, Harry McKirdy and Devante Rodney earned the hosts victory.
Wolves U21s moved second in north group F with a 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers thanks to a Fabio Silva double and Leicester U21s are top of north group H following the 3-1 win at Grimsby after goals from Callum Wright, Sidnei Tavares and Admiral Muskwe.
West Ham U21s kept up their 100 per cent record in south group A as Kai Corbett's early goal saw them past Portsmouth, and Fulham's U21s lost a penalty shoot-out at Burton Albion after a 1-1 draw.
Elsewhere, Fleetwood beat Sunderland 2-1 to stay top of north group A, Salford were also 2-1 winners at Rochdale to stay top of north group B, while Shrewsbury kept up their 100 per cent record in north group C with a 4-3 win at Crewe.
Norwich U21s lost 1-0 at Cheltenham, meaning they sit second in south group F; Plymouth beat Newport 3-1 in the same group.
Mansfield beat Scunthorpe 2-1 in north group E, Oldham were 3-1 winners at Bradford in north group F, and Accrington won 1-0 at Barrow in north group G.
Hull City won 2-0 at Harrogate in north group H, Colchester thrashed Southend 6-1 in south group A, and Crawley beat Ipswich 2-0 in south group B.
There were 1-0 wins for Oxford at Walsall and Swindon at Forest Green, Charlton beat Leyton Orient 3-1, and Cambridge beat Peterborough on penalties after a 1-1 draw.