It was another case of nearly but not quite for Chelsea at Wembley as Thomas Tuchel's side pushed Liverpool all the way to sudden death for the second time this season as the Reds claimed their second domestic trophy of the year.
The Blues have been runners-up in both competitions and can only hope to secure Champions League football in their remaining two Premier League matches against Leicester and Watford, with the pace of Manchester City and Liverpool leaving them as also rans. Those outcomes have left it difficult to assess what to make out of the Blues' 2021/22.
The devastation was clear to see on the Wembley turf with Mason Mount obviously crestfallen staring at the floor, Antonio Rudiger sat on the pitch and Romelu Lukaku with folded arms staring at the sky, all while red flares started to fill the air in Liverpool side of the stadium.
