CHELSEA v Liverpool: EFL Cup Final Preview

Date: Sunday 25^th February 2024

Venue: Wembley Stadium

Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

This afternoon sees a repeat of the 2021-2022 EFL Cup final (which we lost by the way) as we pitch up at Wembley against Liverpool. It will be the fifth time the sides have faced each other in a domestic cup final.

Despite winning this cup five times, our last 2 league cup finals have seen us lose on penalties. Today’s opponents, however, have won the EFL Cup 9 times from 13 final appearances. On our way to the final, we’ve beaten Wimbledon, Brighton, Newcastle, Blackburn, and Middlesbrough, whilst Liverpool beat Leicester, Bournemouth, West Ham, and Fulham.

Of course, Liverpool come into today’s final off the back of a public inquiry into their injury list, the likes of which no-one in the history of the game has ever seen, although no amount of kidology and whingeing should give us any false sense of security, particularly given they battered us 4-1 less than a month ago in a game we were so poor in, we deserved to be playing in PE kits.

According to Pochettino, something “clicked” for Chelsea after Liverpool ripped us a new one, so he’s obviously chosen to forget we got a similar battering from Wolves less than a week later. We’ve certainly strung a few results together since then and looked the better side for much of our last game against City, but let’s face it, the decisions at Anfield told us what we’re up against – and we were nowhere near a match for their twelve men.

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MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into today’s game, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, says “I think when we played against Liverpool at Anfield I think too many decisions… not one key decision was for us. Two penalties were not given. Duels, 50-50s, always for another colour —always red. I want to be treated in a fair way. Of course we are going to celebrate. I am the first who is going to say that Liverpool is amazing and Klopp is one of the best coaches in the world. But I think after my last experience playing there, what I want in Wembley is to go there and not feel the pressure. It is to play the game in the same level and the best team will win. But not to feel the pressure of people around.

Liverpool is an amazing club and I love Klopp. The way he is, is amazing. It is his last season here. We are going to compete in the same way, both teams, and [we want] both clubs to be seen in the same way. We want to win because of Chelsea. Of course Liverpool want to win. But please, not another party involved in the game will be part of the celebration that Klopp is leaving, no? That is important.”

Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, says “I want to win on Sunday but not for me or my trophy cabinet. It is for the boys, for the club and for the people. That is much more important and everything will go on. What we are doing at the moment is we write a wonderful book, I would say. We wrote it and we are still writing a wonderful book and when I leave we close that book. We will put it on the shelf and then someone else will write another wonderful book. That is the idea. I will not leave anything inside, I will give absolutely everything until the last second.

I am not writing the résumé already – not at all. I am 100% focused on trying to create a few special memories on top of what we have done. We will see what is possible but the basis we created so far – come on, 60 points is an extraordinary amount with all the things that have gone on. And we all know it should be 61 or 63.  We all know that! It is so special and let’s keep going. The red part of Wembley should be rocking – that would be really nice. This team deserves each push.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, Wesley Fofana (knee), Marc Cucurella (ankle), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Reece James (hamstring) and Carney Chukwuemeka (ankle) all remain out, whilst Benoit Badiashile and Thiago Silva (both groin) are both doubts.  

For injury ravaged Liverpool, Alisson Becker (hamstring), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Joel Matip (ACL), Diogo Jota (knee), Curtis Jones (shin), Thiago Alcantra (muscle), Ben Doak (knee) and Stefa Bajcetic ( calf) are ruled out. Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez are both given as doubts but we all know they’ll be playing some part in the game really.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson

LIVERPOOL (Possible line-up): Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Endo, Mac Allister; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz

LAST MEETING

Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea (31 January 2024)

CURRENT FORM (ALL)

CHELSEA: DLLWWD

LIVERPOOL: WWLWWW

OTHER STUFF

• Chelsea and Liverpool have met in two previous League Cup finals (2005 and 2022)
• Liverpool are making their 14th appearance in the League Cup final.
• This is Liverpool’s 44th appearance at Wembley, with 22 wins to date.
• Liverpool have won the League Cup 9 times.
• Chelsea have won the League Cup 5 times.
• Of Liverpool’s nine previous League Cup final victories, only two were achieved inside 90 minutes.
• Chelsea are the only team to prevent Liverpool from scoring in their last 12 Wembley visits (twice).
• In 34 games in all competitions under Pochettino so far, Chelsea have lost 11.
• Liverpool have won all four of their penalty shootouts against Chelsea – in the 2007 Champions League semi-final, 2019 UEFA Super Cup, and the Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup finals of 2022.

PREDICTION

Sportsmole: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool