Jurgen Klopp’s delirious interview is a good note on which to end this blog. Congratulations to Liverpool, commiserations to Chelsea. Goodnight!
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More from Jurgen Klopp
Caoimh was unbelievable. Such a mature performance. I say it often: we have the best goalkeeper in the world and the best No2 in the world. I’m so happy for him. Top game.
[On Ryan Gravenberch’s injury] There were two teams fighting extremely hard and the referee didn’t have the level of the game. That’s how it is; I’m sorry for that. You can make a story of that but everybody saw it. He didn’t even whistle for a foul! And then the fourth official said to me, ‘Yeah because of that we cannot give a card.’ Oh, good idea.
I hope it’s not broken, but there is some ligament damage. It’s all bad. You asked me about it and actually I feel really bad, but everything else was brilliant.
I love this country to bits but the schedule is not made for winning a lot. We won tonight, we should cherish that. Tee celebration after the game was top class, I loved it. That’s all perfect. The rest: give me a few seconds to process how we can go forward from here.
Jurgen Klopp is still grinning like a madman. Here’s what he made of it all.
What happened here this afternoon is absolutely insane. These things are not possible. A team, a squad [starts chuckling], an academy full of character; it’s unbelievable what happened. I’m so… I’m so proud that I could be part of that tonight. Wow!
The crazy stuff is that we deserved it. Yes, yes, we had lucky moments, they had lucky moments – it was a tough game: 120 minutes, or 150 with all the extra time. And the boys showed up. It was really cool.
I’m pretty sure when we brought on all the kids, people thought, ‘Okay, that’s it, they’ve given up, they have a game on Wednesday.’ It really wasn’t the case – we needed fresh legs and the legs we had were very young. But they did the job. They did the job. What they did… it’s unbelievable.
[How is it possible for them to play that well?] I think it’s the environment that we’ve created together. They’ve trained with us for a while so they know exactly what they have to do. When we have time for 11 v 11 in training, they’re a pain. That’s what you have to be, and they were a pain [for Chelsea] today.
It’s not only them. How good was Harvey Elliott? Endo, oh my god. He walked up for the ceremony with the stiffest legs I ever saw. We’ll have to see what price we pay for this game. But you cannot do it differently. You’re in a final, you fight with all you have and then have a look who’s available for the next game. There will be a team in a Liverpool shirt.
It’s going to be really strange watching Liverpool next season
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 25, 2024
Ryan Gravenberch is on crutches and in a boot as he walks round the field. His injury seems an age ago. Liverpool need to find a team to play Southampton on Wednesday and Nottingham Forest on Saturday. They can worry about that tomorrow.
The moment of glory
Absolute SCENES at Wembley! 🔥
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 25, 2024
Virgil van Dijk heads home in the dying moments of extra-time! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/t4KFoeljyR
Here’s David Hytner’s report from Wembley
Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk lift the trophy together, Klopp still beaming like a madman. Then it’s passed down the line to the other players, some of whom look in a kind of dreamily blissful state.
It’s worth a reminder of the Liverpool XI that finished this game.
Kelleher; Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Clark, Endo, McConnell; Elliott, Danns, Diaz.
I was going to say it’ll be a great quiz question in 10 years’ time, but I’d imagine every Liverpool fan will be able to recite the answer without pausing for breath.
Jurgen Klopp makes a point of embracing Cole Palmer, and then Virgil van Dijk, the responsible adult of the group, leads Liverpool up to collect the trophy. Klopp is straight behind him, bouncing around with joy. He wasn’t this animated when they won the Champions League.
Joy is the word. Often at times like this the overriding emotion is relief or fulfilment. For all connected with Liverpool, but especially Jurgen Klopp, this is a moment of rare joy.
Chelsea’s players go up to collect their runner-up medals. Some look empty, others haunted. They’ll probably get over it eventually – that’s what The Little Book of Nietzsche is for, right – but this will sting for a long time. Their performance in extra-time was so passive. Maybe they were just shattered.
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Virgil van Dijk's reaction
It means so much. All the young boys on the pitch in extra-time… it’s incredible, I’m so proud of the team. It was an intense game, for both sides. It’s amazing: first trophy as Liverpool captain. It’s all for the fans, so let’s enjoy it.
[On the bundle after the goal] I didn’t want to get injured, I tried to get up quickly! Nah, listen, it’s emotion. I’m so proud of the boys. [Breaks into a smile and looks over his shoulder] All the young boys playing their part in what we achieved, it’s incredible. Onto more.
We never take these things for granted. We’re very blessed. We could have lost today we didn’t – we did the job. I’m so proud to be part of this club, and especially proud of the boys.
This will go straight into Liverpool folklore, the day a load of kids beat a billion-pound team from London. One or two of them will become Liverpool legends; most won’t, and some might be playing in the fourth tier in 2026. But however life turns out, they’ll all be there for the reunion in 2049. This game bonds them forever.
Jurgen Klopp couldn’t stop smiling if he tried. His cheeks should be killing him, so hard is he working them, not that he’ll care. More than anything else, Klopp’s man-management genius, or rather boy-management genius, made this possible.
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LIVERPOOL WIN THE CARABAO CUP!
Full time: Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool It’s all over! Liverpool have won the League Cup for the tenth time. It’s the 51st major trophy in their history, and a story like no other. They finished the game with a mixture of kids, seniors who could barely run and a mighty character called Virgil van Dijk. His last-gasp header clinched the most glorious triumph of the human spirit, one that Liverpool Football Club will dine out on forever.
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120+2 min Palmer is booked for fouling Diaz. Chelsea’s collective noggin has gone.
120 min Madueke has a snap volley blocked by Van Dijk. Chelsea appeal for handball but it came straight off the same part of his body that has just put Liverpool ahead.
There will be three minutes of added time.
120 min Gary Neville has just called Chelsea the “blue billion-pound bottle jobs”.
Virgil van Dijk falls on his back, a big dumb grin plastered all over his face. He made an excellent run across Mudryk at the near post to meet Tsimikas’s corner and flick an expert header into the far corner.
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GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool (Van Dijk 118)
He’s done it again, and this time it counts!
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118 min Clark’s shot deflects over the bar for a corner. Liverpool’s Carabao kids have been phenomenal; whatever happens, whoever wins, I hope it’s not one of the bairns who misses the decisive penalty.
117 min Palmer sweet-spots one from 25 yards. It’s too close to Kelleher, who holds on. He’s been immculate in the Liverpool goal.
115 min: Great save by Petrovic! Tsimikas curls a fabulous cross beyond the far post, where Elliott’s downward header is brilliantly saved with his left leg by Petrovic. That’s his best save of the match, by a distance.
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115 min Madueke moves promisingly over the halfway line, only to overhit a through pass to Nkunku. Chelsea have been so poor in extra-time.
114 min Tsimikas sweeps a nice first-time shot with his right foot from 25 yards. Petrovic moves across his line to hold.
113 min: Chelsea substitution Trevoh Chalobah comes on for Ben Chilwell.
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111 min Madueke shuffles infield from the right and curls a deflected shot that is grabbed at the second attempt by Kelleher, sprawling to his right.
110 min Liverpool continue to dominate possession. Chelsea look occasionally dangerous on the break but it’s bizarre that they haven’t had more of the ball in extra time.
109 min Palmer’s clever pass to Fernandez sparks a four-on-three attack, only for Madueke to then give the ball away. This will haunt Chelsea if they lose.
107 min McConnell is booked for a tactical foul on Palmer.
106 min Peep peep! We’re fifteen minutes away from a penalty competition.
Liverpool substitution Ibrahima Konate is replaced by Jarell Quansah, which takes Liverpool’s average age down to about 13 ¾.
These are the teams on the field as extra-time resumes.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Nkunku.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Clark, Endo, McConnell; Elliott, Danns, Diaz.
Half time in extra time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Kelleher comes out of his area to beat Mudrk to a through pass, and that’s the end of a muted first period of extra time. Chelsea were asleep for the first 10 minutes.
105 min Chelsea are finally enjoying a bit of possession. Nkunku’s cross is put behind for another corner by Van Dijk, but Chilwell overhits it. Chelsea regain possession and Palmer heads straight at Kelleher from a left-wing cross. It wasn’t much of a chance.
104 min I thought Van Dijk kicked that Nkunku cross out for a throw-in but the referee has given a corner. No matter: it’s headed away at the near post.
103 min Fernandez releases Nkunku on the left, and his cross is booted away by Van Dijk. That’s Chelsea’s first vaguely threatening attack of extra time.
102 min “I’m no football encyclopedia but it’s wild to me that our midfield right now is Endo-Clark-McConnell,” says Neil Hattersley. “At the beginning of the season I’d only heard of one of those players and that’s only because Clark’s dad played for Newcastle in the 1990s.
“I understand why Klopp may have chosen not to stick Clark or McConnell in after the early injury due to inexperience. But I’m wondering in retrospect if the positional reshuffle meant we didn’t get the best out of Bradley and Elliott. We totally lost momentum after that change.”
That’s an interesting and persuasive point. From what little I’ve seen, Clark in particular looks fine at this level. I guess it was so early in the game that you can understand why he went for experience.
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101 min Tsimikas’s deflected shot is saved comfortably by Petrovic. Just before that Colwill made another important interception.
100 min It’s almost shocking how lethargic and passive Chelsea have been in extra time. Liverpool’s motley crew – I don’t say that pejoratively – are battering them.
99 min: Chance for Liverpool! Diaz cuts inside from the left and curls a brilliant pass towards Elliott, whose volley on the run goes into the ground and ripples the side netting. The fans on the other side thought it was in.
98 min “In not unrelated news,” says Peter Oh, “Teenage Fanclub are on tour this year.”
97 min: Chelsea substitution Noni Madueke replaces a limping Conor Gallagher, who had that great chance to win the game in the 86th minute.
96 min Danns looks especially bright for Liverpool, and Chelsea have barely had a kick since the resumption. “It’s like they’re running in mud,” says Gary Neville on Sky.
94 min: Good save by Petrovic! A free-kick from the right is nodded back across goal by Van Dijk towards Danns, whose powerful header is tipped over by the leaping Petrovic. He’d expect to save that but it was a decent effort. Liverpool have started extra-time superbly.
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92 min Liverpool have a stunning record in penalty competitions, so Chelsea really need to approach extra-time as Italy did against Germany in the 2006 World Cup semi-final. For now they are sitting back, oddly.
91 min Peep peep! They’re off again.
Full time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Two disallowed goals, two efforts against the post, two sensational saves from Caoimhin Kelleher – and still no goals.
90+6 min Gallagher turns Konate and is fouled. He’s already had a yellow card so he needs to be careful, although it was a genuine attempt to play the ball rather than a tactical foul.
90+5 min Liverpool didn’t want this game to go to extra-time; now it’s all they want, because they are hanging on desperately.
Nkunku’s close-range shot was brilliantly blocked by the stretching Konate, then Palmer’s follow-up was kicked away by the off-balance Kelleher. Gusto leathered a cross-shot that ricocheted around the six-yard box until Nkunku bobbled a shot straight at Kelleher. Three attempts then, not four, but it was still pretty remarkable.
Konate, by the way, has been heroic in the last 10-15 minutes.
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90+2 min: HOW DID CHELSEA NOT SCORE! They had four attempts in 10 seconds, and there’s barely time to describe them because Chelsea have a corner.
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90+2 min Nkunku goes over in the area after a slightly clumsy challenge from Van Dijk. There were no appeals on the field, only from the Chelsea fans.
90 min There will be six minutes of added time, mostly because of Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal.
89 min: Chelsea substitution Mykhailo Mudryk replaces Nicolas Jackson, who had a pretty good game up front. Nkunku will move to centre-forward.
88 min Danns gets involved straight away with a speculative save that is comfortably saved by Petrovic.
87 min: Triple substitution for Liverpool Kostas Tsimikas, James McConnell and Jayden Danns replace Andy Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and the disappointing Cody Gakpo.
86 min: Another chance for Gallagher! This time he sweeps over from the edge of the area after another fast break. Nowhere near as good as the first opportunity, though still half decent.
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86 min: Brilliant save by Kelleher! That’s a one-on-one save of which Alisson would have been proud. Palmer ran at a weary defence and put Gallagher through on goal with what for him was a relatively simple angled pass. Gallagher took a touch and sidefoot a shot that was brilliantly blocked by the outrushing Kelleher.
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85 min Blimey, Jurgen Klopp is about to bring on three more of his teenage substitutes.
84 min An imaginative volleyed cross from Gusto just swerves away from Nkunku at the far post. Chelsea look the likelier winners, but then so did England against Romania in 1988.
82 min Now Konate is booked for a handball, possibly inadvertent, that stops a Chelsea break. Actually it may have been for leading with his studs as he slid into Fernandez. Either way, he’s on a yellow card.
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82 min “Somewhat off topic perhaps,” says Jeremy Smith, “but the scorer of a great League Cup final (second replay...) goal, Chris Nicholl, has passed away today.”
That’s really sad news. His Southampton team were one of the most exciting in England between 1985 and 1991.
81 min Mac Allister is booked for a foul on his old mate Caicedo.
80 min Liverpool work the well neatly across the face of the Chelsea area. Then Elliott finds the overlapping Gomez, whose hopeful rising drive is comfortably saved by Petrovic.
78 min “VAR is technically correct,” says Niall Mullen. “The worst kind of correct.”
It knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
76 min: Gallagher hits the post! As in 2022, I have no idea how this final is still goalless. Palmer teases Robertson on the right edge of the area and guides a fast low ball towards Gallagher near post. He steers it across Kelleher, who doesn’t move, and the ball bounces off the inside of the post.
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75 min Clark robs Caicedo 25 yards from goal and tries an eye-of-the-needle through pass that is very well read by Disasi.
73 min Gakpo’s chipped cross is taken away from Elliott by Nkunku, whose defensive diligence may well have saved a goal.
72 min: Liverpool substitution Jurgen Klopp gives Bobby Clark, 19, a big hug and then sends him on to replace Conor Bradley. He goes into midfield and Elliott moves wide.
72 min It’s end-to-end stuff. Extra-time suits Chelsea but they are playing like a team who want it settled here and now.
70 min: And now a chance for Gakpo! Diaz charges infield, beating three players before poking the ball across to Gakpo just inside the area. He leans back and spanks the ball over the bar. That was a lovely run from Diaz, who has such beautiful balance when he gets going.
69 min: Chance for Disasi! Gallagher’s corner from the left is flicked on at the near post and flashes towards Disasi, four yards out. It’s slightly behind him and all he can do is thigh the ball up in the air. A relieved Kelleher jumps to grab the ball.
68 min Robertson is very lucky not to be booked for a gratuitous kick at Conor Gallagher. This game may well go off.
67 min: Chelsea substitution Christopher Nkunku replaces Raheem Sterling, who had a quiet game.
64 min Jamie Carragher, on Sky Sports, says the decision is “incredibly harsh”. The only thing I would say that there is precedent for VAR to intervene in similar situations, although that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right.
Oh VAR.
NO GOAL! Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
And it’s disallowed now! Jurgen Klopp smiles wryly and nods his head. I can see both sides – there’s no doubt Endo blocked Colwill, but it’s debatable whether Colwill would have been in a position to challenge Van Dijk without his intervention.
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Van Dijk was onside. They’re looking at whether Endo, who was in an offside position, blocked Colwill from challenging Van Dijk. It’s a subjective decision, so Chris Kavanagh is going to the monitor. There was a not dissimilar incident involving Harry Maguire when Man Utd played Fulham earlier in the season. It was disallowed then…
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That’s a brilliant header from Virgil van Dijk. It came from a free-kick on the left, needlessly conceded by Gallagher. Robertson curled it towards the penalty spot, where Van Dijk was far too strong for Chilwell and planted a superb header back across Petrovic.
Hang on, it’s being checked by VAR.
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GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool (Van Dijk 60)
The big man heads Liverpool in front!
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58 min Gakpo floats a deep, loopy cross towards Elliott, who twists his body to batter a volley into the ground. It bounces towards the far corner and is punched away a little dramatically by the diving Petrovic.
Moments later Diaz shoots wide from 20 yards.
56 min Palmer shuffles inside from the right but shoots wide from distance. I have a feeling he might score the winner.
55 min Liverpool’s best moments under Jurgen Klopp have been spectacular triumphs of the human spirit, so they will relish this challenge. But there is always a point at which adversity becomes too great, and Liverpool – who played 90 minutes against Luton in the week - are starting to look tired. They really don’t want this to go to extra-time.
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52 min: Great chance for Chelsea! Jackson breaks down the left and moves the ball across to Gallagher in the area. He crosses low towards Fernandez, back to goal eight yards out. Fernandez should lay it off to the unmarked Palmer, or Sterling for that matter, but instead tries an indulgent backheel that dribbles wide of the far post.
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49 min Liverpool’s injury list means they have only a load of kids (and Kostas Tsimikas) on the bench. Chelsea have better options, including Christopher Nkunku.
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48 min “I hate the stupid Rumbelows Cup,” says Mac Millings. “Not for any petty reason, like, say, because Luton have won it and Watford have never won anything... No, that’s it. It’s because Luton have won it.”
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47 min Robertson’s corner on the left leads to a bit of a scramble on the edge of the area. Eventually the ball bounces up towards Endo, who cracks it well wide.
46 min Peep peep!
One moment I missed in the first half: Endo made a goal-saving block to deny Nicolas Jackson just after Caoimhin Kelleher made that stunning save from Cole Palmer.
What a SAVE from Kelleher! 🧤😤
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 25, 2024
HUGE chance for Chelsea to take the lead in the #CarabaoCupFinal 😰 pic.twitter.com/cPuHbQAhX4
Half-time reading
(And while we’re discussing a metaphorical thrust of two fingers.)
Half time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Peep peep! A many-faceted first half ends goalless. Much of it was nervy and niggly, but there were also moments of drama and quality. Caoimhin Kelleher made a remarkable save to deny Cole Palmer; Ryan Gravenberch was stretchered off after a poor tackle from Moises Caicedo; Raheem Sterling had a goal disallowed for a Spandex-tight offside; and Cody Gakpo hit a post. See you in a bit for the second half.
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45+2 min: It’s kicking off (2024 version)! Chilwell and Bradley have a falling out, which leads to a bit of an impromptu gathering from both sets of players and one or two hearty shoves. Chilwell and Bradley are booked, though replays suggest Bradley didn’t do much wrong.
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45+1 min Six minutes of added time, mainly for the Gravenberch injury. Diaz, who has come alive, has a long-range shot blocked.
45 min: Chance for Bradley! It’s been a ding-ding first half, and now Chelsea are hanging on. Diaz receives a pass from Elliott in his own half, gallops past Enzo and runs all the way into the Chelsea area before finding the overlapping Elliott.
Elliott’s low cross is cut out at the near post but comes to Diaz, who dummies to shoot and then picks out the unmarked Bradley on the other side of the area. His low shot is desperately blocked by Colwill in the six-yard box. Petrovic probably had it covered; probably.
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40 min: Gakpo hits the post! Liverpool come so close to opening the scoring. Diaz shielded the ball in the area and laid it off to Robertson, who crossed first time towards the six-yard line. Gakpo backpedalled, which isn’t easy to say after no pints, before straining his neck muscles to generate as much power as possible in the header. It swerved away from the motionless Petrovic and bounced off the far post.
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39 min “As a Liverpool fan I’m pretty much fuming about another injury,” says Neil Hattersley. “This was preventable by the ref actually taking control of the game and getting a yellow card out for any of the three bookable Chelsea fouls that preceded it.”
I’d agree with that. Chilwell should certainly have been booked early on, probably Caicedo as well. Can’t remember the other one.
37 min Now it’s Chelsea who are looking dangerous. Sterling, on the left, plays in the underlapping Gallagher, who screws the ball back towards Palmer on the six-yard line. Robertson slides in front of him to make a vital interception.
36 min “Refereeing eh?” says Niall Mullen. “Studs on ankle used to be a red. Then they weren’t. Then they were. I dunno anymore.”
Has it ever been a red card when it’s that low? I can’t remember a time when players were consistently sent off for a challenge like Caicedo’s, but then most of my memory bank is taken up with dinners from the 1990s.
My instinct was that it should have been a yellow card, though I make no claim to expertise or certainty.
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NO GOAL! The offside lines show that Jackson was just – and I mean just – beyond Konate when Palmer played the ball to him.
Palmer played a good pass down the right to Jackson, who calmly slid the ball across for Sterling to score at the far post. Jackson looked offside to the naked eye but the first replay suggests Konate was probably playing him on.
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32 min The game has been more even in the last 10-15 minutes, and as I type Raheem Sterling has a goal disallowed. Hang on, this might be onside.
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31 min “The last League Cup final that stands out in my memory is 2013’s,” writes Kári Tulinius. “It was a problem free day for Swansea, but they played so well that it’s stuck in my head. Cardiff v Liverpool, the year before, was a humdinger, and as an Arsenal fan, the 2011 final is one I’ve unsuccessfully tried to forget.”
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28 min Gomez has gone to right-back, with Conor Bradley moving to right wing and Harvey Elliott dropping into midfield.
27 min: Liverpool substitution Joe Gomez replaces Ryan Gravenberch, who is bweing stretchered off. He doesn’t look in agony, so you’d imagine it’s ligament damage. Klopp is still chuntering at allcomers, particularly the referee Chris Kavanagh. It wasn’t a red card but Caicedo should certainly have been booked.
25 min Klopp is fuming, and you can understand why. The replay shows that Caicedo stood on Gravenberch’s foot, which twisted nastily at the point of contact. They’re bringing a stretcher on now and Joe Gomez is getting ready to come on. Maybe Conor Bradley will go into midfield. Liverpool really are down to the bare bones.
I thought the referee hadn’t given a free-kick but in fact he played the advantage for Liverpool.
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24 min Caicedo gets away with an unpleasant challenge on Gravenberch, who is rolling round in pain. The referee didn’t give a free-kick; Jurgen Klopp thinks it should have been a foul and at least a yellow card.
23 min Often those point-blank saves look great, when in reality the striker has leathered the ball straight at the keeper. I’d want to see a replay to be sure but I’m pretty sure Palmer wasn’t guilty of that. It looked an exceptional save.
20 min: Marvellous save by Kelleher! How on earth has he stopped that? Gallagher’s cross from the right was miscontrolled at the far post by Sterling, who would have had a great chance with a surer first touch. Bradley challenged him six yards out and the ball bounced across to Palmer, who looked 99.94 per cent to score. He hammered the ball with his left foot – but Kelleher dived to his left to keep it out and Liverpool forced the rebound to safety. That’s an extraordinary save.
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19 min Bradley, who has started fearlessly, moves forward with intent and has a shot from 25 yards that is blocked by Enzo.
16 min Liverpool’s pressing so far has been terrific. Bradley robs Chilwell just outside the area and is sent flying; Chilwell is very lucky not to be booked for that.
14 min Petrovic makes two saves in 30 seconds. The first was comfortable enough, from Mac Allister’s long-range effort; the second was a good stop low to his right when Diaz drilled a shot from 15 yards.
The chance came when Disasi slipped while trying to play out from the back, a problem that never befell John Beck’s Cambridge.
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13 min Chilwell’s free-kick from the left is headed away to Gusto 25 yards out. He cracks a volley that comes through a crowd and is comfortably held by Kelleher.
Liverpool break and Diaz has a shot blocked after playing a good one-two with Gravenberch.
12 min Liverpool have been much the better team so far. “Chelsea are like a box of frogs,” says Gary Neville on Sky.
Palmer gets on the ball for the first time, moving into the area before sliding a pass that is cut out by Van Dijk. Chelsea regain possession and Gusto wins their first corner. Kelleher punches it away.
9 min Robertson’s deep early cross is headed towards goal by the backpedalling Diaz and saved comfortably, even nonchalantly, by Petrovic. The man behind him, Gakpo I think, was in a much better position.
8 min Mac Allister’s free-kick is missed by the lunging Disasi, who is relieved to see Konate penalised for handball beyond the far post. Chelsea look slightly nervous.
7 min Mac Allister’s free-kick is headed away, but then Caicedo fouls Endo 25 yards from goal. It’s too wide for a shot, so the big men are coming forward.
6 min Colwill tries to bring the ball out from the back, overruns it and then wipes out Mac Allister with a Sunday-league challenge. He might have been booked for that. Free-kick to Liverpool on the right wing…
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5 min It’s been a cagey start, with no incidents of note. Don’t tweet the messenger.
3 min No funky tactics from either manager. Conor Gallagher is playing further forward than Caicedo and Enzo for Chelsea; Endo is the deepest of the Liverpool midfield.
1 min Peep peep! Alexis Mac Allister has the first kick of the 2024 Carabao Cup final. Liverpool are kicking from right to left as we watch.
The players line up for all the pre-match guff. It’s a dank old day at Wembley, so they’ll be happy when they can start running around.
Some fella, presumably from Carabao, is introduced to the players.. Then he whips out his phone to take a selfie with Jurgen Klopp, who smiles with admirable tolerance. If only Roy Keane was Liverpool manager.
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And so does Mauricio Pochettino
It’s a great achievement to reach a final and it’s nice to be here. But now it’s about the win. There’s no other way to think. I think we are better [than at Anfield]. We arrive here in a very good moment and now we need to translate that onto the pitch.
Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky Sports
You can never take [playing in a major final] for granted and I never will. These occasions are very special. So many teams started the competition and wanted to be here – we made it and that’s great. Now we’re here, we’ll give it a try.
Chelsea had good results before we faced them and after we faced them. We caused them more problems than they thought and that’sthe plan for today.
“I’m racking my brains for the last memorable League Cup final,” writes Niall Mullen. “Maybe the (Perry) Groves one, or when Oxford won the Milk Cup? Obviously Tony Adams dropping Stephen Morrow is unforgettable but the game itself was something of a dud in my recollection.”
I’d say the last truly great final was Luton 3-2 Arsenal in 1988, though I’d argue there have been plenty of memorable ones since then. Then again, I recall what I ate for dinner for on 21 April 1999 so perhaps my idea of memorable isn’t entirely representative.
Chelsea have plenty of injuries of their own, even if their list isn’t quite as bad as Liverpool’s. You can create a seriously good combined XI from the players who are unavailable today.
Chiverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; James, Matip, Fofana, Cucurella; Alexander-Arnold, Lavia, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Nunez.
Substitutes: Thiago Alcantara, Badiashile, Jones, Chukwuemeka, Thiago Silva, Ugochukwu, Bajcetic, Doak.
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"To arrive and show personality, character and play football, that is the most important"
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 25, 2024
Hear Mauricio Pochettino's thoughts ahead of the #CarabaoCupFinal 🧠🔵 pic.twitter.com/wsgnlP74xT
Pre-match reading
Team news: no Salah or Nunez for Liverpool
As expected, Mauricio Pochettino sticks with the Chelsea team that started at the Etihad eight days ago. Djordje Petrovic starts in goal with the fit-again Robert Sanchez on the bench. Thiago Silva hasn’t made the squad.
Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez aren’t even fit enough to be on the bench for Liverpool, who are missing at least five and arguably seven of their best XI. Jurgen Klopp makes two changes from the win over Luton in midweek: Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson come in for Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez.
Chelsea (possible 4-3-3) Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chiwell; Caicedo, Gallagher, Enzo; Palmer, Jackson, Sterling.
Substitutes: Sanchez, Bettinelli, Chalobah, Gee, Gilchrist, Tauriainen, Madueke, Mudryk, Nkunku.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Endo, Mac Allister; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz.
Substitutes: Adrian, Gomez, Tsimikas, Clark, McConnell, Koumas, Danns, Quansah, Nyoni.
Referee Chris Kavanagh.
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool. Was it not Aristotle who said, “When a man is tired of winning trophies, he is tired of life”? No, of course it wasn’t, and it wasn’t Samuel Johnson either. But had they said it, they’d have had a point.
Football has changed in the 21st century. There are more potential sources of validation than ever, and at times trophies feel of secondary importance. But at its heart, on the field, football is still about glory. None of the other sources of validation – money, philosophies, underlying metrics, set-piece coaches, the braised beef in Beavertown beer with mushrooms and smooth polenta that’s been getting rave reviews in hospitality – will ever create the same level of euphoria.
In modern English football, the Carabao Cup is a B-list prize. No point pretending otherwise, we’d be lying out of our grotty teeth. So what? The men in the arena, the players of Chelsea and Liverpool, are desperate to win it this afternoon.
Chelsea want this to be the end of the beginning, a first trophy under Mauricio Pochettino that draws a line under an awkward start to his time at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool hope it is the beginning of the end – the first of a few trophies, perhaps even four, in Jurgen Klopp’s final season.
It’s less than a month since Liverpool plugged Chelsea 4-1 in the Premier League, but their grotesque injury list means they are slight rather than strong favourites. Another reason is Chelsea’s excellent recent performances away to Aston Villa and Manchester City.
You probably don’t need a reminder that this is a whole new Chelsea team. Have one anyway. None of their probable XI were even in the squad when they lost to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final two years ago.
All emerging teams need a gateway trophy. This was the first competition that Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola won in English football, Mourinho for Chelsea against Liverpool 19 years ago. Just don’t expect Pochettino to shh the Liverpool fans if Chelsea get a late equaliser.
Kick off 3pm.
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