If ever the Football League needs a cheerleader for their premier knockout competition, they could do a lot worse than give Pep Lijnders a call.
Dismissed by many as an increasing irrelevance in a packed calendar, the Carabao Cup instead prompts enthusiasm and excitement from the Liverpool assistant manager.
"I love this competition," says Lijnderrs. "It means so much for us because it is the one that represents the whole club, not just the first-team squad. We have so much different talent, so many different kinds of players who are young, and it excites me to see a new generation."
